Gd Vajra Barolo ‘Albe’ 2014
G.D. Vajra
Working with high-altitude vineyards the road can be both arduous and stunningly beautiful, that lead us to wines where finesse and perfumes blend into one. Say hello to the wines of G.D. Vajra.
From the Bricco delle Viole sub region of Barolo, this vineyard has been shaped gently over many years; swinging to the south, visible from several kilometres away. “On certain autumn days it seems to emerge like a promontory out of a sea of fog. Here the sun does not encounter obstacles. It rises early to the east and gives energy to the vineyards until the end of the day, when it sets in the west over the Alps.” A picturesque scene in the Italian countryside, the purity of the light here is balanced by the influence of the Alps and the proximity to the Tanaro river. These geographical features creates accentuated thermal changes, able to ripen the fruit slowly to perfection, preserving it from excessive heat and allowing the concentration of noble and delicate aromas such as violet, orange zest and star anise.
“This for us is a road, an inspiration, a vocation. In each vineyard we are looking for unique characters and personalities, but in all of them we search for this note of ethereal beauty, like a sweetly whispered poem.”
SKU
GDNE201410 UCAU
$99.00
Per item
Price:
Albe is a tribute to the masters of the 1950s and 60s, to those winemakers who had the vision and the taste to blend some of the most amazing crus in order to achieve a Barolo of balance and charm. The high-elevation vineyards for Barolo Albe have an exposure ranging from south-south-east to south-west. The grapes are usually picked in the second half of the Nebbiolo harvest. Vinification is made in custom-designed vertical vats, with gentle punch down and pumpovers. Maceration lasts 25 days on average. Malolactic conversion occurs in stainless steel the following spring. Albe rests on average between 30 and 36 months in large (40, 50 and 75hL) Slavonian oak casks. The wine is usually racked once a year. Blending is decided in the spring prior to bottling.
Albe is a tribute to the masters of the 1950s and 60s, to those winemakers who had the vision and the taste to blend some of the most amazing crus in order to achieve a Barolo of balance and charm. The high-elevation vineyards for Barolo Albe have an exposure ranging from south-south-east to south-west. The grapes are usually picked in the second half of the Nebbiolo harvest. Vinification is made in custom-designed vertical vats, with gentle punch down and pumpovers. Maceration lasts 25 days on average. Malolactic conversion occurs in stainless steel the following spring. Albe rests on average between 30 and 36 months in large (40, 50 and 75hL) Slavonian oak casks. The wine is usually racked once a year. Blending is decided in the spring prior to bottling.
We found other products you might like!
Scores & Reviews
91 / 100
Monica Larner
A tribute to local tradition, the 2014 Barolo Albe represents an assembly of fruit from various vineyard plots throughout the area. Winemaking is classic in approach with a 25-day maceration period and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. This vintage shows silky, fine lines and a more accessible approach for near and medium- term drinking. I would recommend a few more years of bottle aging, however, to allow the wine the time to grow in texture and mouthfeel.
90 / 100
Antonio Galloni
Vajra's 2014 Barolo Albe is a pretty wine, but it is also a touch slender. Part of that is, of course, attributable to the vintage, but in recent years the Albe has been stylistically more similar to the other Barolos in the range than it was at the outset. Suggestions of sweet tobacco, cinnamon, dried flowers and black cherry are layered in this supple, easygoing Barolo. Drink it over the next handful of years.