2017 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco Delle Viole
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Grape: Nebbiolo
Culinary Suggestions: Truffle/mushroom dishes, charcuterie or roasted meats
Vineyard Practice: Sustainable and Organic
About
G.D. Vajra - “a world of sublime hand-crafted, artisan wines of the very highest level”, as Antonio Galloni calls it - is run in the second generation by Giuseppe, Isidoro and Francesca Vaira, lovingly overseen by father Aldo and mother Milena. It was Aldo that founded G.D. Vajra, kicking off with a counter-cultural twist by returning to his ancestors’ land in the early ‘70s, when all else were deserting the countryside in droves. That spirit of tradition with an adaptive streak characterises this far-sighted outfit. Indeed, Aldo’s decision to embrace the rogue ‘j’ on the label – a print error that happens to hark back to the pre-1920s spelling of the family name – says a lot about the clan’s capacity to roll with it and nimbly fuse its roots with the future.
Over the years they’ve acquired coveted holdings in their home commune of Barolo as well as Novello, Sinio and Serralunga - this latter home to the stupendous wines they produce under their Luigi Baudana label.
The family excels with all the Piedmont staples – Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Moscato and the very rare Freisa, as well as Riesling that is far better than it has any right to be. Barolo Albe has made a name for itself as one of the best-value Barolos going, while Bricco delle Viole has cemented a reputation as one of the finest cru Barolo wines, period. At the more everyday level, there’s a wonderful Langhe Rosso, Langhe Nebbiolo and the highly original, intensely drinkable Claré J.C. – a wickedly bright, tank-raised, 25% whole-bunch, nouveau-style Nebb. - Importer Note
Tasting Notes
The 2017 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is classy and elegant to the core. Medium in body and wonderfully translucent, the 2017 captures all of the finesse of this site. Naturally, the 2017 also shows the ripeness of the year, but it retains its sublime sense of poise. The 2017 Bricco delle Viole is one of the clear stand outs of the year.
95 points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media January 2021
Drink: 2025 - 2042
A fair old amount of perfume here. Raspberry, rose oil, menthol and five spice. Just over medium-bodied, raspberry and red cherry, again the sweet spices, and a bit of tobacco savoury stuff, fresh too, with pumice stone tannin, and a long firm finish. Maybe not quite as fine as some of the better years, but gee it’s still keeping itself pretty tidy.
95 points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front June 2021
Drink: 2024 - 2033+
The G.D. Vajra 2017 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is packed with medium dark cherry fruit and plum. The wine also shows a savory side, with spice, hazelnut cream, licorice and lightly fragrant potting soil. This vintage sits solid on the palate, wrapping thickly over the senses, thanks to its creamy, fruit-driven consistency and well-managed tannins. These vines are high in elevation, ranging from 400 to 480 meters in altitude. Those higher elevations are key to interpreting a vintage that saw heat such as this. Production is 15,000 bottles.
95 points - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate June 2021
Drink: 2024 - 2040