2018 Camarcanda

The 2018 Camarcanda is lifted with medicinal herbs, balsamic, and fresh mint. It is youthful with baby fat now but is more lifted overall compared to the previous two vintages of 2017 and 2016. It offers elegant and fine tannins, with notes of black raspberry, strawberry, violets, and a long and tapered finish that is more about its stony mineral texture than the length and concentration of its fruit. Drink 2024-2044. 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.

An 80-20 blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, the Ca' Marcanda 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda is another gorgeous edition of this important wine, although this vintage does start off slower than some of the other wines in this vertical. The wine is initially shy or restrained, with earthy and herbal sensations that frame dark fruit and blackberry. However, the bouquet also proves quite fluid, and it shifts to darker plum and spice with a few quick swirls of the glass. That substantial fruit intensity holds well from start to finish.

The 2018 Camarcanda is a rich, dense wine that marries the natural intensity of the Tuscan Coast with the greater sense of energy the estate's wines have today. A blast of dark cherry, plum, espresso, menthol and licorice infuses the 2018 with notable depth that continues to build over time.