Gaja Conteisa

In the glass

Aroma: wild cherry, aromatic herbs, balsamic, wild strawberry

Palate: cherry, raspberry, strawberry, chalk

From the Cerequio amphitheatre in La Morra, Conteisa is the flowery, fresh and aromatic side of Gaja's Barolo, with sweet wild cherry, herbs and fine-grained chalky tannin.

What it pairs with

• Vitello tonnato
  The wine's fresh red fruit and acidity lift the cold veal and tuna sauce.
• Roast pheasant
  Delicate game meets Conteisa's perfumed, herb-edged fruit.
• Toma piemontese
  Mild alpine cheese frames the chalky tannin and cherry lift.

How to serve Gaja Conteisa

Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Vitello tonnato, Roast pheasant, Toma piemontese. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Conteisa comes from Gaja's holdings in the Cerequio cru on the La Morra side of Barolo. Its name recalls a centuries-long border dispute between La Morra and Barolo over the prized hill.

1. 1996: First Conteisa vintage from Cerequio in La Morra
2. 2013: Returned to Barolo DOCG label

Facts

Producer

Gaja · visiting guide

Grapes

Nebbiolo (100%)

Classification

Barolo DOCG

ABV

14.5%

Price

EUR 300 to 600 at retail

Drinking window

8 to 35 from vintage

First vintage

1996

Frequently asked about Gaja Conteisa

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