2017 Sori Tildin
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Tasting notes
Light ruby hued, the 2017 Barbaresco Sori Tildin is a nuanced, elegant Barbaresco offering lots of beautiful red and subtle blue fruits intermixed with notes of wildflowers, licorice, asphalt, tobacco, and dried spices. Aromatic, incredibly perfumed, and already complex, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a lengthy, seamless finish that carries plenty of salinity and freshness. It's not a blockbuster, but it excels on its purity, freshness, and elegance, and it certainly has enough tannins for a long life. It didn't show at its best until day two, so if you're opening bottles any time soon, a healthy decant is recommended. It will ideally be given 5-7 years of bottle age to hit its early drink window and should evolve for 20+.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is a tightly wound and austere wine that is going to need at least a few years to soften. Today, it is decidedly tight and lighter in body than is customary. Last year, the 2017 had more body, but it seems to have lost some of that depth since then. Nervy contours and bright acids dominate the balance today, even with considerable aeration.
The Gaja 2017 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn opens to a luminous ruby appearance with pretty crimson highlights. This vintage appears lighter in color and concentration compared to past editions. The bouquet delivers a purity and sharpness nonetheless, but it offers less overall fruit. It shows subtle berry tones with blue flower, aniseed and candied orange peel. This very young Sorì Tildìn takes time to open, and it remains on the nervous side even after it has been given ample time in the glass. The best course of action is to wait until the 10-year mark before opening this bottle. It needs that extra time to soften and flesh out.
Extremely perfumed with strawberries, flowers, cherries and hints of ash and tar. Medium to full-bodied with tightness and raciness to the tannins. Polished, too. Very, very persistent. Try after 2022.
About the producer
Gaja has been at the forefront of the Piedmont wine scene for many years and is Barbaresco’s most decorated producer. The winery has received a record number of Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards – the highest accolade from Italy’s leading wine publication.