NEW YORK, June 14, 2022 — Wilson Daniels is pleased to announce the addition of GAJA Properties to its national portfolio beginning September 1, 2022. Widely recognized as one of the world’s most iconic producers, GAJA is commitment to a singular purpose: to create authentic, terroir-expressive wines imbued with the tradition and culture of the region. This purpose is a common thread connecting the family’s namesake property in Piedmont to their three benchmark wineries throughout Italy – Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino, Ca’Marcanda in Bolgheri, and IDDA on Mount Etna.
“I’ve long admired the Gaja family for the artistry they bring to their wines. They continue to elevate the Italian wine landscape, while remaining true to who they are as a family,” said Rocco Lombardo, President of Wilson Daniels. “Unmistakable terroir, exacting quality standards in the vineyards and winery, and a commitment to authentic, soulful representation of the people and culture permeates each GAJA project. These are values the Wilson Daniels team also holds very dear.”
Lombardo continues, “Forging a new relationship with such a highly venerated family as Gaja is a great responsibility, and we are humbled by the trust they have placed in us to represent their wines in the U.S. This is a moment that we, at Wilson Daniels, all take great pride in, and we look forward to introducing these illustrious wines to our network of customers and collectors.”
In 1859, Giovanni Gaja founded the GAJA winery in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, where the family owns vineyards in both the Barbaresco and Barolo districts. Over the years, the winery has been shaped by each generation – notably by Angelo, the second generation, and his wife Clotilde Rey, a charismatic and ambitious woman who instilled in her son Giovanni and her grandson Angelo a passion for uncompromising quality and cultural representation. Embracing his grandmother’s values, Angelo Gaja, the fourth generation, took the winery to new heights.
In 1994, Angelo purchased Pieve Santa Restituta, an estate located in one of the most revered sites in the Montalcino district. This was the first time the family ventured outside of their native Piedmont. Today, the estate produces three Brunello di Montalcino, including Rennina and the single vineyard Sugarille.
Then in 1996, Angelo realized a new dream of extending his family’s winemaking heritage to Maremma with the founding of Ca’Marcanda, a new winery near the Tyrrhenian Sea. For the last 25 years, the family has created their unique interpretation of Bolgheri, producing wines of freshness and tension.
Most recently in 2016, the Gaja family embarked upon a new project on the island of Sicily with the founding of IDDA. In partnership with the lauded Graci family, IDDA Bianco and Rosso are an exploration of the extreme growing conditions of Mount Etna. The name ‘IDDA’ means ‘she’ in Sicilian dialect, and serves as a term of endearment and reverence for the volcanic mountain.
Today, Gaia, Rossana, and Giovanni, the fifth Gaja generation, alongside their parents Angelo and Lucia continue to advance their family’s legacy in accordance with the quality and cultural principles set out in 1859.
“Many new and exciting projects are on the horizon for our family, but we remain true to our founding purpose: to produce wines with a sense of place that reflect the tradition and culture of where they are made,” said Gaia Gaja. “This philosophy has inspired five generations and will continue to do so into the future.”
Giovanni Gaja adds, “For nearly half a century, our family has had a deep relationship with the U.S., developing many strong and inspiring friendships that have made this one of the most important markets for our wineries. As a family, we hold Wilson Daniels in great esteem for their brand building success, working with the most distinguished families in the wine world. We’re very excited to begin this new chapter with the Wilson Daniels team by our side.”
This September, Wilson Daniels will assume national representation of the full range from GAJA, Pieve Santa Restituta, Ca’Marcanda, and IDDA.
Founded in 1978, Wilson Daniels is a fully integrated, family-owned marketing and sales company representing a highly selective portfolio of the world’s most distinctive wines. Wilson Daniels continues to pursue and elevate the standards of excellence set by founders Win Wilson and Jack Daniels through developing long-term, strategic partnerships with luxury producers that possess profound respect for terroir and are benchmarks in their region. To learn more about Wilson Daniels, visit www.wilsondaniels.com.
