2017 Camarcanda
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Tasting notes
Moving into a more solar vintage, the 2017 Camarcanda is expressive of generous purple flowers, menthol, and cassis. The palate is more fleshed out with compact blackberry fruit, though it remains fresh with acidity and crunchy saline. Its sweet fruit and inviting nature make for a wine with a lot of charm. Drink these now while you wait for the 2016s. Drink 2023-2040. When the Gaja family purchased their Bolgheri property in 1996, it was home to 10 hectares of vines planted to Sangiovese and Trebbiano. The rest of the land was dedicated to olive trees, peach trees, and cereal grains. Angelo Gaja was drawn to the region by several factors, including the small size of the region, which was always something he looked for when seeking out denominations outside of their Piedmont home. The Bolgheri DOC had recently been established in 1994 with only 1300 hectares in total. A very different region from Piedmont, Bolgheri has historically been land owned by noble people whereas Piedmont was a region of farmers. Thus, the Tuscans were more connected to international travel, and you find people with international names and sensibilities. Other differences include the incredibly varied soils, with 27 different types identified due to the erosion from the Colline Metalifere. Additionally, constant winds come through the region that help both with ventilation and temperature control of the vines. My tasting occurred at the Bolgheri winery in November of 2022, alongside Gaia Gaja, who has been instrumental in working alongside her siblings and their father across the properties. Whether it is in the vineyard or in the winery, the family and the team at Ca' Marcanda are consistently evolving to raise the bar with a measured and steady hand.
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The Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
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I remember Gaia Gaja's comment to me when I visited Ca' Marcanda in 2017 right after the vintage. She told me that the heat and dry conditions had created "bonsai fruit." Diminutive cluster size due to drought gives the 2017 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda extra everything: extra aromatic intensity, concentration, structure and acidity. The winemaking team was careful to remove seeds before fermentation to avoid any greenness or astringency. However, this is a hot-vintage wine, and those aromas of blackberry preserves and baked plum leave no doubt about it. The wine is richly concentrated. In fact, this is probably the last vintage of Camarcanda we will see with this level of density. Steps have been taken since 2017 to assure more finesse in this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
The 2017 Camarcanda is rich and heady in the glass, with all of the natural radiance of the vintage on full display. Ripe, racy and exotic in its beauty, the 2017 is a prototypical modern Maremma red. Generous fruit, racy contours and lifted savory notes add to its considerable allure. It, too, is arresting in its beauty. The 2017 offers plenty of voluptuousness, but with no excess weight. I loved it. Production is down 40% because of the low production of the year and then severe selection.
The Ca’ Marcanda 2017 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda is Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the Gaja family estate in Bolgheri. Many of its peers show the inky and concentrated fruit of this hot and dry vintage, with the bitter structure and the exaggerated phenolic ripeness of the growing season. But not this wine. This Bolgheri blend is contained and subdued in comparison, with a silky mouthfeel and elegant tannins. This elegance defies the vintage and resets your palate to a place of nuance and finesse that is nearly impossible to find in these 2017 releases.
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.