Producer
This fine property, purchased by Angelo Gaja in 1996, now has 120 hectares of vineyard and a superb winery that combines simplicity, efficiency and architectural brilliance. While Gaja has shown with ‘Darmagi’ that he can make great Cabernet Sauvignon in the Langhe, he was compelled to try to compete with some of the great names of Italian wine when he arrived in Bolgheri just over 20 years ago. The winery and its vineyards are situated just south of Poggio al Tesoro and Ornellaia.
Vineyards
In 1996 Gaja acquired several plots of land in Bolgheri, for a total of 120 hectares. Vineyards are located at five km from the coast, so they enjoy the cooling influence of the sea-breeze and the light – reflection from the sea makes this one of the most luminous winegrowing area in Italy. Here soils span from the sandy soils closer to the coast to limestone soils closer to the hills inland. The grapes for Ca’ Marcanda come from white stony soils rich in limestone and clay. The vines were all planted in 1996.
Vinification
The two varieties are fermented and macerated separately for around 15 days. The wine is then aged for 18 months in a mix of Tonneaux and barrique. The wine is transferred to concrete tanks for further 6 months before blending. The final wine is aged for several months in the bottle before being released.