Youthful Barolos can be hard to resist, with their expressive woodsy-floral aromas and vibrant, savory fruit. However, the style of traditional Barolo is typically built so firmly tannic and dense in flavors as to need years of bottle aging to become more welcoming. G.D.Vajra's 'Albe' Barolo is a perfect example of another style that's enjoyable now, with its deliciously open-knit character and gently embracing grip. It's the result of the 20th century winemaking modernization that swept through the region, seeking to make wines that were friendlier sooner.
One of the keys to making G.D. Vajra the benchmark winery it is today was their balanced approach to these modern improvements in the vineyards and cellar, earning them the reputation of "the most modern of the traditionalists and the most traditional of the modernists." The estate's style is an elegant, pure and more approachable expression of the classic robust Barolo blueprint.
The 2019 growing season allowed for a long, slow ripening, contributing to a combination of soft fleshiness and crunchy mineral acidity. The fruit underwent a traditional long fermentation of almost a month, but with a gentler extraction of those ripe tannins and flavors from the skins. They age the wine in traditional large Slavonian oak barrels for around 2 years, which gently refines the texture but is less intrusive on the fruit's character. With its medium-full weight, savory-tinged character and a dry, warming finish, it's a great pairing for dishes like white truffle risotto, braised pork belly, pastas with finely ground meat sauces, or osso buco milanese, and freshly cut Parmigiano Reggiano!
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "This is certainly one of the most popular and versatile wines made in Italy, and deservedly so. The well-priced G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Albe shows some ripe fruit and softness with cherry, dried raspberry and crushed rose. This vintage is similar in character to the 2016 release in that both vintages offer a linear style with good structure at the back. The mouthfeel is polished and long, affording accessibility and complexity too." Drink from 2024.
KERIN O'KEEFE 94 POINTS - "Made from three separate vineyards, Fossati, La Volta and Coste di Vergne, this expressive Barolo opens with aromas of violet, dog rose and wild strawberry. Already drinking beautifully but showing good aging potential, the savory palate exhibits spiced cranberry, orange zest, red cherry and star anise alongside taut tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2025–2034. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe February 2023 ©kerinokeefe.com.com"
ORGANICALLY FARMED
One of the keys to making G.D. Vajra the benchmark winery it is today was their balanced approach to these modern improvements in the vineyards and cellar, earning them the reputation of "the most modern of the traditionalists and the most traditional of the modernists." The estate's style is an elegant, pure and more approachable expression of the classic robust Barolo blueprint.
The 2019 growing season allowed for a long, slow ripening, contributing to a combination of soft fleshiness and crunchy mineral acidity. The fruit underwent a traditional long fermentation of almost a month, but with a gentler extraction of those ripe tannins and flavors from the skins. They age the wine in traditional large Slavonian oak barrels for around 2 years, which gently refines the texture but is less intrusive on the fruit's character. With its medium-full weight, savory-tinged character and a dry, warming finish, it's a great pairing for dishes like white truffle risotto, braised pork belly, pastas with finely ground meat sauces, or osso buco milanese, and freshly cut Parmigiano Reggiano!
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "This is certainly one of the most popular and versatile wines made in Italy, and deservedly so. The well-priced G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Albe shows some ripe fruit and softness with cherry, dried raspberry and crushed rose. This vintage is similar in character to the 2016 release in that both vintages offer a linear style with good structure at the back. The mouthfeel is polished and long, affording accessibility and complexity too." Drink from 2024.
KERIN O'KEEFE 94 POINTS - "Made from three separate vineyards, Fossati, La Volta and Coste di Vergne, this expressive Barolo opens with aromas of violet, dog rose and wild strawberry. Already drinking beautifully but showing good aging potential, the savory palate exhibits spiced cranberry, orange zest, red cherry and star anise alongside taut tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2025–2034. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe February 2023 ©kerinokeefe.com.com"
ORGANICALLY FARMED
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