2022 GAJA BARBARESCO MAGNUM

(95 Points) Showing that Gaja Midas Touch, the 2022 Barbaresco is a seamless wine with a long, polished mouthfeel. This vintage saw 10% whole-cluster fruit. That fermentation method started on an experimental level in 2021, but it's giving encouraging results, Giovanni Gaja tells me, because it reinforces impressions of freshness, especially in the hot years. This Barbaresceo shows Nebbiolo purity, while remaining chiseled and elegant all the while. The bouquet peels off to reveal pretty layers of crushed rose, stone and plump fruit. The tannins are beautifully balanced.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate