2023 Gaja Rossj-Bass Chardonnay
2023 Gaja Rossj-Bass Chardonnay

2023 Gaja Rossj-Bass Chardonnay

Gaja |Piedmont |Chardonnay
This is the first release of Rossj-Bass made at Gaja’s new high-altitude winery in Alta Langa - marking a fresh chapter in their white wine story.
Price:
$215.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 1 unit left
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Description

"Angelo Gaja is, without question, the most famous wine producer in Italy. Possibly one of the most famous in the world. He is credited with developing techniques that revolutionised winemaking in Italy.
- International Wine Challenge

The 2023 Rossj-Bass is a bit of a milestone for Gaja. It’s the first white to come out of their brand new winery in Alta Langa, a purpose-built home for the future of their whites as the region warms and conditions shift. It also quietly marks the beginning of a new chapter for this famously forward-thinking family.

Named after Angelo Gaja’s daughter Rossana (Rossj was her nickname) and a low-lying vineyard (‘bass’ meaning low), this wine has always been a blend of Chardonnay and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc from long-held vineyards in Barbaresco and Serralunga. But this vintage introduces something new - fruit from high-altitude terraces in Alta Langa, a cooler, wind-swept zone where Gaja’s recently planted vineyards are slowly coming online.

Fermented mostly in stainless steel, with a touch of oak and a little malolactic, it’s a Chardonnay that walks the line between energy and softness. But the real story here is bigger than what’s in the glass. It’s Gaja thinking long-term, adapting to change and investing in what comes next - with the kind of care and quiet confidence that’s kept them at the top for generations.

Importer's Notes

The wine is titled after the Rossj vineyard, named by Lucia and Angelo after their second daughter, Rossana—Rossj was her nickname—and a second vineyard located in the lower part of a hill (basso means “low” in Italian). Both vineyards, planted in 1984, formed the basis of the original blend. The first vintage was released in 1998.

The historical vineyards that currently remain the core of Rossj-Bass are predominantly located in the Barbaresco commune, including the crus of Pozzo, Bricco, and Faset, along with a site in the nearby Treiso commune, within the Pajoré cru. Additionally, three historic vineyards lie southwest of Barbaresco in Serralunga d’Alba: the named sites of Feja and Vivaldo 1 & 2.

However, it is perhaps Gaja’s new project in Langhe Alta that best reflects their vision for the future of white wine production in the region. With rising average temperatures in Barbaresco, they began the search for a new, cooler site to plant white varieties. This led to the discovery of abandoned vineyards with outstanding potential, located at 650 metres above sea level in the Alta Langa zone, southeast of Barbaresco, near the communes of Trezzo, Mango, and Borgomale.

Here, Gaja began planting predominantly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, carefully maintaining the natural, unique shapes of the existing terraced landscape. To support the project, a new winery was constructed specifically for vinifying all of their white wines. Full production at the site began with the 2023 vintage.

Rossj-Bass is predominantly Chardonnay with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. The Alta Langa component currently represents only a small portion of the overall blend due to the youth of the vineyards, but this share will increase as the vines mature. The wine is predominantly fermented in tank, with 20% in barrel. Malolactic fermentation occurs in 20% of the blend.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Cork

Gaja

The Gaja family has been producing wine in the hills of Barbaresco, Piedmont since 1859. But it was under the leadership of Angelo Gaja from the 1960s that the estate rose to global prominence, redefining what Italian fine wine could be. Today, his children - Gaia, Rossana, and Giovanni - are guiding the next chapter of the family legacy.

Gaja’s wines are a benchmark of modern Italian winemaking - bold, polished, and built for the long haul. Single-vineyard bottlings like Sorì Tildìn and Costa Russi broke new ground for Barbaresco, while plantings of Cabernet and Chardonnay challenged tradition and put Langhe on the world stage.

Beyond Barbaresco, the family now crafts celebrated wines from Bolgheri and Montalcino, and most recently, from the volcanic slopes of Etna under the IDDA label - a joint project with Alberto Graci that’s turning heads for its purity and poise. Wherever they go, Gaja remains a symbol of innovation, ambition, and Italian excellence.

The Gaja family Gaja

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