Gaja Ca Marcanda MAGARI Bolgheri Rosso 2023 750ml

GAJA Ca’ Marcanda · Magari Bolgheri Rosso · 2023 · Tuscany, Italy

Magari 2023 combines Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in a Bolgheri red with dark fruit, Mediterranean herbs and a savory, saline accent. Plum and blackcurrant notes meet black tea, rosemary and thyme, while structured tannins give the palate shape and length.

The name Magari captures the playful Italian expressions “If only it was true…!” and “Maybe…”, a lighthearted counterpoint to the commitment behind the Ca’ Marcanda project. The wine's mix of fruit, herbal detail and polished texture offers a compelling direction for a thoughtfully paired dinner.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Jeb Dunnuck · 95 Points: Also tasted as part of a short vertical, the 2023 Magari is a bright magenta/ruby color. It’s fresh, spicy, and floral on the nose, with balanced pure cherry fruit, spicy cedar, toasted incense, and fresh rosemary. It displays a medium-framed profile, but it doesn’t lack focus in its silky texture, fine tannins, and refreshing though seamless acidity. This vintage offers a lot of freshness and elegance. It’s lovely out of the gate but should have an even and long window for drinking over the coming 15 or so years.

The Wine Advocate · 94 Points: The Ca’ Marcanda 2023 Bolgheri Rosso Magari, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, shows appealing richness and a soft, generous side with plump berry fruit, baked blackberry pie and sweet spice. A creamy texture and ripe phenolics give the wine an immediately pleasurable palate impact, while a touch of subtle sweetness carries through on the finish.

James Suckling · 92 Points: This fruity, spicy wine shows plums, bell peppers, eucalyptus leaves and cherries. The crunchy palate has crisp acidity, medium body, light extraction and a grainy finish. 

Decanter  Magazine · 91 Points: Magari is Gaja's Cabernet Franc-dominant expression of Bolgheri. Deep and plummy, it has a chocolatey nose with balsamic herb notes. The broad palate shows plummy black and red fruits, lifted and with floral top notes. Poised and very fresh, that balsamic and menthol character runs through the core with a streak of chocolate. Balanced structure.

Wine Spectator  · 90 Points: Black currant, blackberry, bell pepper, iron and tobacco flavors gather in this sleek red. Tightens up on the finish, where the fruit and savory elements echo. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032.

Winemaker Description

Ca’ Marcanda: Magari is an Italian expression having different meanings “If only it was true…!”, “Maybe…”. It carries a sort of irony which leads people to smile, without showing off the great commitment and determination associated to the Ca’Marcanda project.

Purplish red in color, the nose presents a wonderful mixture of black fruits such as plums and blackcurrants. Notes of black tea, and hints of aromatic herbs commonly found in the Mediterranean like rosemary and thyme, lead to a structured mouthfeel with tannins that are denser and more elegant reflecting the style of the vintage all culminating with a salinity representative of a classic Bolgheri style.

Food Pairings & Serving

Suggested pairings include grilled steak, rosemary-roasted lamb, braised beef or roasted portobello mushrooms. Serve slightly below room temperature and allow time in the glass for its fruit and herbal notes to unfold.

Wine Details

• Producer: GAJA Ca’ Marcanda
• Wine: Magari
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Bolgheri Rosso
• Region: Tuscany, Italy
• Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot
• Style: Red wine
• Bottle size: 750ml
• Reviews: Jeb Dunnuck 95, The Wine Advocate 94, James Suckling 92, Decanter Magazine 91, Wine Spectator 90
• Wine Spectator drinking guidance: Now through 2032

Dark fruit, Mediterranean herbs and polished structure with a distinctly Bolgheri accent.