2005 Sori San Lorenzo

A wine of total finesse, the 2005 Sorì San Lorenzo impresses for its nuance and balance. Freshly cut flowers, mint, cinnamon and crushed rocks are all laced together in a wine of exquisite harmony. The 2005 is one of the more restrained, elegant vintages in this vertical tasting. The perfumed finish speaks above all else to a sense of delicacy that is impossible to miss.

Good deep red. Much more closed on the nose than the Sori Tildin, hinting at dark raspberry and minerals. Deep, rich and pliant but a bit brooding today and currently hiding its underlying sweetness. Best today on the long, ripe back end, which features big, broad, dusty tannins and a lingering spicy nuance. These vines are 47 years old.

Gaja's 2005 Sori San Lorenzo is a dense, dark beauty of sensual, irresistible charm. This richly-textured, expansive wine flows with masses of ripe dark fruit, menthol, licorice and mineral in a sumptuous, full-bodied style. The use of oak is simply masterful here and the wine boasts extraordinary balance. I am not sure how he does it, but Angelo Gaja is easily Italy's most consistently brilliant producer. For those who can afford it, this is another gem from Gaja. Readers should interpret my drinking windows with a large grain of salt. The 1990 Sori San Lorenzo is still young, and the 1978 is amazingly fresh, so it is anyone's guess as to when this wine might be actually "ready." In the meantime, this wine is sure to provide enormous pleasure to those lucky enough to own it.