Sori San Lorenzo — 2020
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Introduction
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In the local dialect, Sorì refers to the hillside facing south, while San Lorenzo is the patron saint protecting Alba’s Cathedral, as the vineyard was church property until 1964 when it was purchased by the Gaja family.
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Vineyard Profile
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The Sorì San Lorenzo vineyard is situated in the municipality of Barbaresco, a few steps from the old town center. The land, facing south, consists of clayey-calcareous marls and covers a surface of 3.38 hectares, with an average altitude of 250 m above sea level. The vines are 50 years old on average.
- Appellation: Barbaresco D.O.P
- First Year of Production: 1967
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Vintage Report
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The 2020 vintage was characterized by frequent rainfalls that can be defined as atypical for various reasons. Instead of the distribution coming in winter
and spring, it was concentrated in the summer months. Despite the frequent summer thunderstorms, none of our vineyards were damaged by hail. During winter, the
temperatures were mild. Particularly, January 2020 will be remembered for being the warmest in the last 50 years. The actual cold, with temperatures below freezing, arrived in mid-March and lasted a month. However, no frost damage occurred. With the sole exceptions of a heat spike in late May, one in August, and one in mid-September, the period from May to early October was characterized by alternating warm days and thunderstorms followed by cooler days. Significant temperature variations during the rest of September and October helped the color, aromas, and overall health of the grapes.
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Vinification
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Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks followed by aging in oak for 24 months.
- Barrel Aging: 24 months in oak barrels
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
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Tasting Notes
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Sweet notes on the nose with a beautiful structure of fruit tannins with a lovely, intense color. It is closed initially but when it opens, it has a striking, multifaceted, dense texture. The cask aging also gives the wine a great edge, a little more verve, and tension with notes of salinity, citrus, cassis, currants, mustard, smokiness, and licorice. A deeply complex wine.
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Images
Reviews
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Sori San Lorenzo, Barbaresco DOP — 2020 – Decanter – 97 Points
“The closest of Gaja's three crus to the Tanaro river, the vineyard is more humid and temperatures in the summer are mild. ‘Nebbiolo loves humidity,’ asserted Gaia Gaja, who pointed out that the higher limestone content in the soils here results in thicker skins, giving better resistance to mildew and also resulting in more tannins in the wine. The textural tannins are immediately obvious in this 2020, supporting delicate, fragrant and sapid dark forest fruits, overlaid with scents of dried cherry and earth."
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Sori San Lorenzo, Barbaresco DOP — 2020 – Wine Enthusiast – 96 Points
“Aromas of black cherry, macerated raspberries, incense and black tea define the nose. Mouthfilling, the wine’s palate shines with preserved red berries, savory herbs, dried flowers and cedar that seamlessly coalesce around the ripe tannins and elegant finish.”
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Sori San Lorenzo — 2020 – Vinous – 97 Points
"The 2020 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is ample and potent, with tons of mid-palate intensity and palate-staining resonance. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, gravel and dried herbs abound. As is so often the case, Sorì San Lorenzo is the most inward."
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Sori San Lorenzo — 2020 – Wine Spectator – 95 Points
“Elements of eucalyptus and juniper grace the cherry and raspberry fruit in this intense, complex red. Mineral and spice accents chime in as this builds to a long aftertaste. The texture is supple and there's plenty of energy on the resonant finish, where a chalky feel adds to the overall appeal.”