Ca' Marcanda

The natural beauty of Bolgheri, with its intense colours, radiant light, closeness to the sea and wooded hills, drew Angelo Gaja to the area in the mid-1990s. The purchase of the land closed in 1996 after 18 meetings between Angelo Gaja and the previous owners, and the estate takes its name from a Piedmontese dialect expression that translates into Italian as 'casa della trattativa perenne', the house of the perennial negotiation. The first vineyards were planted in 1996 and construction of the winery began two years later. The architectural project grew from a wish to immerse the building in the wild beauty of the place: the cellar is underground, covered with native vegetation that includes 350 centuries-old olive trees, and built with rock found during the excavation. In 1996 Bolgheri had fewer than ten wine estates, against more than sixty today. Gaia Gaja told Decanter, 'We arrived 10 years later', that is, after the key names of the Super Tuscan movement of the 1980s. The release of the 2020 vintage marked the estate's 20th anniversary, and an anniversary tasting written up in May 2026 spanned vintages from 2000 to 2023.

• Purchase of the land closed in 1996 after 18 meetings between Angelo Gaja and the previous owners
• First vineyards planted in 1996; winery construction began two years later
• Underground cellar covered with native vegetation including 350 centuries-old olive trees, built with rock from the excavation
• Bolgheri had fewer than ten wine estates in 1996 and has more than sixty today

The name of the Promis wine is a nod to the family's commitment to creating a project of value in Tuscany. As of May 2026, Angelo Gaja remains involved in key viticultural decisions, while since 2012 the three siblings of the family's fifth generation have tasted and decided each week with the winemaker. Those siblings are Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni Gaja, who run the Gaja winery in Barbaresco together. Gaia Gaja took her first steps in the company at Ca' Marcanda, when it was still in its infancy, and was able to shape its development herself.

• Angelo Gaja remains involved in key viticultural decisions (as of May 2026)
• Since 2012 the three fifth-generation siblings have tasted and decided each week with the winemaker
• The siblings are Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni Gaja
• Gaia Gaja took her first steps in the company at Ca' Marcanda

Ca' Marcanda is a 120ha estate whose reds centre on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah, in addition to Sangiovese. The vineyards sit on two soil types. The terre bianche are rich in limestone, compact clay and stones, and supply Camarcanda. The terre brune are rich in clay and silt; Magari draws on both soils, and Promis comes mainly from terre brune vineyards in the commune of Bibbona. The first Vistamare vineyard was planted in 2005 in Bibbona on a hill overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast, and later plantings are in Bolgheri, closer to the winery. From the outset Angelo Gaja collaborated with university professors, entomologists, botanists and geologists, and the estate worked with Professor Andrea Lucchi of the University of Pisa on a study of insect behaviour that led to 'smart bugs' used against vineyard pests. Vineyard work includes cover crops such as mustard, vetch and clover, a shift from cordon training to Guyot, in part to counter esca, and newer vines planted north to south rather than east to west to maximise freshness.

• Terre bianche: limestone, compact clay and stones; source of Camarcanda
• Terre brune: clay and silt; Magari draws on both soils, Promis mainly on terre brune in Bibbona
• First Vistamare vineyard planted in 2005 in Bibbona, on a hill overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast
• Shift from cordon training to Guyot and north-south planting of newer vines

Camarcanda, labelled Bolgheri DOP, is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; the two varieties are fermented, macerated and aged in oak for 18 months separately, then blended and aged a further 6 months in concrete. Decanter calls Camarcanda the estate's flagship wine. Merlot featured in the blend in the past and has been omitted since the hot 2015 vintage. Magari, also Bolgheri DOP, blends Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, vinified separately and aged 16 to 18 months in oak before blending. Promis, a Toscana IGP, combines Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese with 12 months in oak; its name recalls the Italian word 'promessa'. Vistamare, a Toscana IGP white, blends Vermentino, Viognier and Fiano, fermented in steel and aged in steel and oak for 6 months; its name was borrowed, with irony, from the property world, where a sea view is the ultimate luxury detail. The Ca' Marcanda labels stylise the crossing perspective of the cypresses of the Bolgheri avenue toward the horizon. On style, Gaia Gaja told wein.plus that Ca' Marcanda makes wines that do not conform to the stereotypical image of Bolgheri: 'They are very elegant and delicate.'

• Camarcanda (Bolgheri DOP): Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, 18 months in oak then 6 months in concrete
• Magari (Bolgheri DOP): Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, 16 to 18 months in oak
• Promis (Toscana IGP): Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese, 12 months in oak
• Vistamare (Toscana IGP): Vermentino, Viognier and Fiano, fermented in steel, aged 6 months in steel and oak

Primary sources (Gaja Distribuzione, the Gaja group's own site; camarcanda.com carries only a contact page): https://www.gajadistribuzione.it/categoria-prodotto/vini/italia/toscana-italia/ca-marcanda/, https://www.gajadistribuzione.it/prodotto/camarcanda-bolgheri-dop/, https://www.gajadistribuzione.it/prodotto/magari-bolgheri-dop/, https://www.gajadistribuzione.it/prodotto/promis-toscana-igp/, https://www.gajadistribuzione.it/prodotto/vistamare-toscana-igp/. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/wine/tuscany-wines/why-italys-king-of-barbaresco-bet-big-on-bordeaux-blends-30-years-ago/, https://www.winespectator.com/articles/gaja-s-ca-marcanda-celebrates-20-years-043023, https://magazine.wein.plus/shaping-the-future-means-throwing-cliches-overboard-interview-with-gaia-gaja. Last verified 2026-10-12. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.