Ca' Marcanda
(Gaja) "Magari" Toscana I.G.T. 2020
(Tuscany, Italy) 750mL - [JD 94+] [WA 94] [JS 92]
Regular price $140.00 Sale price $78.97 Save $61.03
About the Winery:
The story of the Gaja winery can be traced to a singular, founding purpose: to produce original wines with a sense of place which reflect the tradition and culture of those who made it. This philosophy has inspired five generations of impeccable winemaking. It started over 150 years ago when Giovanni Gaja opened a small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement the food he served. In 1859, he founded the Gaja winery, producing some of the first wine from Piedmont to be bottled and sold outside the region.
Moving beyond his native Piedmont, Angelo Gaja was compelled to risk starting something new. Inexorably drawn by a unique piece of land and the promise of his dream – to bring his winemaking expertise to Maremma – he made the long drive from Barbaresco to Bolgheri. After purchasing his Pieve Santa Restituta property in 1994, Angelo purchased a second Tuscan property, naming it “CaMarcanda” in 1996. Located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri, this land is ideal for Bordeaux varietals, allowing perfect ripening conditions to produce elegant wines suitable for aging.
The winery's flagship wine takes its name from the estate, ca'marcanda, the house of endless negotiations. The name refers to the many hours that Angelo Gaja spent convincing the property's previous owners to sell the estate vineyard that produces this wine to him. This vineyard is one of the stoniest sites of the Ca'Marcanda estate in Castegneto Carducci (Bolgheri). Its 100% terre bianche (white soils) are ideal for producing long-lived, structured wines.
Tasting Notes:
Deep ruby red with violet hues. The Cabernet varieties show their muscles with dark small fruits like black currant, marasca cherry and blackberry. 2020 Magari shows a complex character without being brash. The nose is rich, it starts fresh and then develops into Mediterranean scrub and black tea notes. The palate is voluminous with fine-grained and silky tannins. This wine has a long-lasting and a very flavorful finish.
Blend: 60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot
Vineyards: In Bolgheri, both on dark soil rich in lime and clay, and white soil full of limestone, clay and stones.Appellation: Bolgheri D.O.C.
Winemaking method:
The three varieties ferment and macerate separately for around 15 days. After 12 months of ageing in oak, they are blended and then aged for several months in the bottle before release.
Ratings & Reviews
94+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:"The 2020 Magari is floral with a perfume of violet, wild raspberry liqueur, candied black cherry, and cedar. The wine is full-bodied but without weight and offers a silky texture. Pure and inviting, with a note of freshly turned soil and, it has a lovely floral perfume that continues through the finish. it is approachable now but will improve over the next 10 to 15 years." (1/28/2023)
94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Magari is Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, with the Franc in a leading position at 60% to 65%. Born in a vintage that saw plenty of sunshine and luminosity from the Tyrrhenian Sea just a few kilometers away, this edition of Magari is especially round, voluminous and fleshed out. The 2020 vintage is considered quite toasty elsewhere in Tuscany, but in fact was more contained here along the Tuscan Coast thanks to steep diurnal shifts between day and nighttime temperatures and a cool spring. The year also saw enough rain at the right moments to assure stress-free fruit ripening. The wine opens to dark blackberry and sweet spice, with a very polished and silky side to robust fruit concentration." - Monica Larner (Jan 2023)
92 Points - James Suckling:
"A polished red with lovely drinkability already, showing redcurrant and fresh-herb character. Some sandalwood, too. Medium-bodied with medium, firm tannins and a crisp and clean finish. Drink or hold." (Aug 2022)