This is another beautiful creation from the Gaja family. The 2016 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda (Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc) is infinitely smooth and finely textured down to the very last pixel in what is a high-resolution panoramic photograph. The core of the wine is packed tight with an explosion of flavor and concentration with so much dark fruit, spice, tobacco and sweet tobacco that unfurls from deep inside. This wine will have a long and, I am quite sure, very happy aging future ahead. It shows utmost precision and balance, with long persistence and a beautifully polished texture. Some 22,000 bottles were made.

The 2016 Ca’Marcanda sports an almost opaque purple color as well as a heavenly bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked earth, charcoal, graphite, and tobacco. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in French oak, this full-bodied, remarkably pure red has ultra-fine tannins, plenty of acidity (although it’s perfectly integrated), flawless balance, and a great, great finish. Drink this beautiful, sexy Toscana over the coming 15 years or more.

Fragrant florals punctuate the nose, ranging from lavender to hyacinth, and there are hints of heather and thyme, too. Citrusy undertones abound. There’s a profundity to the center palate, which is decked out in sheets of dark fruit-flavored, muscular tannins that retain a telltale elegance, as they envelop the peripheries of the mouth. Long and mineral, this is a delightful wine now and will continue to open up as the years go by. Drink from 2023

The 2016 Camarcanda is pretty, open-knit and gracious in its bouquet, although there is a good bit of Cabernet tannin underpinning the dark fruit. Hints of chocolate, mint, sage, tobacco, licorice and blackberry develop in the glass. The 2016 needs a few years to soften, but it is undeniably attractive and inviting. It’s hard to say if it is the vintage, or if the style here has moved towards a bit more freshness as it has at Gaja in Piedmont, but the 2016 Camarcanda does seem to have an extra kick of vibrancy over some previous editions. I can’t wait to taste it with some bottle age.