Description

Vajra Bricco delle Viole is an old vineyard that sits high in the hills of Barolo. It is a finessed, aromatic Barolo that is pure joy to drink.

Established in 1972 with access to some of the great vineyards in the Langhe. Despite the length of operation Vajra is a progressive producer but still uses plenty of old school techniques to make great Barolo. To make these lovely wines the family has 25 hectare of vines supplemented by 10 hectare of contracted fruit. All of which is organic and/or biodynamically farmed.

G.D Vajra Bricco Delle Viole Barolo DOCG 2021 Wine Review

Monica Larner
The Wine Advocate
97 Points

“The organic G.D. Vajra 2021 Barolo Bricco delle Viole first shows a fragile side, but it eventually rolls onto much greater momentum and focus as it opens in the glass. This is always one of my favourite wines from this excellent producer, and I love it especially thanks to its fine nuances of redcurrant, pressed flower and something a little savory like peat moss. There is a hint of ashy stone or brimstone. All of these little details emerge with terrific sharpness in an epic vintage such as 2021. Fruit comes from a seven-hectare plot at 400 to 480 meters in elevation on Sant’Agata marl soils with marine fossils.”

Piedmont 

Piedmont is one of the most significant wine regions in the world. Its name means the ‘foot of the mountain’. Piedmont is in the North-Western reach of Italy. There are a lot of parallels drawn between the best wines of Piedmont (Barolo and Barbaresco) and the wines of Burgundy. The region neighbours France and Switzerland with its border defined by the Alps to the North and west and Apennines to the South. These natural defences kept the Ligurians safe from Roman invasions. Luckily it didn’t work forever, as we may not have the wines that we cherish today.

Barolo DOCG

Made from 100% Nebbiolo aged for least 3 years (5 for Riserva). Famous villages include La Morra, Verduno, Castiglione, Montforte, Serralunga and Barolo. Awarded DOCG in 1980.

Barolo 2016

One of the magic years where everything went right in Barolo. Barbaresco was fine too, but Barolo got the best of the conditions, and the wines are unmissable.

Nebbiolo

They are famously producing long-lived red wines. Light of colour, but abundant in tannin. Barolo and Barbaresco are the pinnacles of Nebbiolo. But many local and international regions are catching up. Typical flavours include tar, roses, anise, cherry, blackberry and truffle.

Italian Wine

There are 1000s and 1000s of grapes in Italy. There are sub-alpine cool-climate regions in the North, and Sun-baked vineyards in the South. Add to that, volcanoes and many cultures within one Country. You could struggle to find anything uniform about the wines. The best of the best include Tuscan reds from Sangiovese or Cabernet. Nebbiolo from Piedmont, especially Barolo and Barbaresco. The aromatic whites of NE Italy from Garganega, Pinot Grigio, and numerous crazy blends. The volcanic wines of Mt Etna in Sicily. And many more.

The only generalisation I will make is that a lot of Italian wine is undervalued when compared to a similar French style.