Gaja   Sperss

2007 Sperss

By Gaja

2007 Sperss from Gaja, Piedmont, Italy

Draw a portrait of dedication and passion for terroir-specific wines, and you'd undoubtedly sketch Gaja, an Italian behemoth in the world of fine wines. Arising from this, the 2007 Sperss is a testament to this unflagging commitment, a beacon of Italian viticulture renown.

 

A True Celebration of The Nebbiolo Grape

Bearing the charm of a countryside romance, the Sperss from Gaja is a rapture of laborious love. The vintage 2007 turns this ensemble into a stage of delight where Nebbiolo grapes are protagonists shimmering under Piedmont's sun. The bouquet offers hints of smoked herbs and black fruits in an enchanting cocktail that intrigues and seduces effortlessly.

The palate experience unravels with smoothly blended tones of ripe blackberry and cherry married harmoniously with subtle licorice and graphite undertones. There's a muscular strength within the tannic structure that unfolds across the stages, showcasing its potential for cellaring and further maturity.

 

Italian Virtuosity Meets Investor's Eye

The truly international reputation of Gaja and the consistent high-quality output from their vineyards marry to make Sperss vintages an attractive facet for wine investment portfolios. The 2007 Sperss is no exception, maintaining an impressive standing as one of Italy's finest wines. Longevity marks an enticing promise for future returns. With evidence that it continues to evolve in the bottle, patience would be rewarded with handsome gains in depth and complexity.

In conclusion, the 2007 Vintage Sperss by Gaja shines with Italian excellence encompassing its lush varietal characteristics, precision crafting, and promising investment potential. Immaculately embodying ‘la dolce vita’ in each sip, it subtly whispers tales of starlit Tuscan vineyards and reveals a narrative woven tightly with the threads of tradition and innovation.

Current market price

$4,540.00

12x75cl

Highest score

97

POP score

160

Scores and tasting notes

97

The 2007 Langhe Sperss is beyond impeccable in the way it combines a powerful expression of Serralunga fruit in a round, enveloping style. Make no mistake about it, there is plenty of intensity and muscle here, but in 2007 Sperss is exceptionally harmonious from the start. The fruit is decidedly darker than the red-toned Conteisa, while an array of licorice, smoke and iron – all typical of Serralunga – add further gravitas. Even as the tannins build on the close, here, too, the finish is utterly sublime. The 2007 Sperss will test readers’ patience but it is simply magnificent even today. Readers who can wait will be rewarded with a breathtaking bottle of wine. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2047. My most recent visit to Gaja was quite an experience, as I tasted all of the estate’s 1989s, 1990s and 2007s. The 1989s and 1990s are reviewed in this issue’s What About Now feature. Angelo Gaja, always loquacious on a wide range of subjects, says virtually nothing about his wines, an approach I have increasingly come to appreciate in an era where so many producers are constantly in pitch mode. Then again, Gaja doesn’t really need to say anything, the wines speak for themselves. I tasted the 2007s at the winery in November 2009 and then again in New York in January 2010. Both times they were spectacular. Stylistically the 2007s remind me of the 1997s in terms of their opulence. Gaja’s wines are often immensely appealing when young – which is certainly the case with the 2007s – but then close down in bottle for a number of years, sometimes many years. My impression is that the Costa Russi and Conteisa are the most likely of these 2007s to offer the widest drinking windows throughout their lives with a minimum of cellaring. Fermentation and malolactic fermentation take place in steel. The wines then spend approximately one year in French oak and a second year in cask prior to being bottled. As has been the case for a number of years now, Gaja’s Langhe wines incorporate a small percentage of Barbera. On a final note, it’s great to see Gaja’s daughters Gaia and Rossana increasingly involved in the winery. They, and their younger brother Giovanni, have big shoes to fill, but couldn’t have asked for better teachers than Angelo and Lucia Gaja. Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604 8900

Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate, 26 February 2010

Vintage performance