2019 Barolo, Bricco delle Viole, G.D. Vajra, Piedmont, Italy

Full bottle 1,322 g. Certified organic Ecocert), sustainable SQNPI). Bricco delle Viole is the highest Barolo vineyard and the closest to the Alps. It rises from 400 to 480 m asl along the eastern ridge of the village. Its name, 'Hill of Violets', originates from the flowers that blossom early because of the south exposure. Up above the fogs, it gets the earliest sunrise and the latest sunset. Vines date back to 1931, 194 and 1968. 28 months in 25- and 50-hl Slavonian oak, 31 days submerged cap.

Smells earthy, like the damp winter depth of rich dark soil of an oak forest. Smells of violets. Mushrooms crushed underfoot. Tastes of tea leaves and tamarind and dried sour cherries and cranberries. Tastes of the bitter red-gold sere of autumn. Tannins that, even now, so young, feel like mist and salt ripping down the mountain. Tendrils of woodsmoke on the finish. Haunting, even if embryonic.

Drink 2028 - 2036

Jewelled in appearance, the 2019 Barolo Bricco Delle Viole may be the best wine from Vajra I have tried yet. Its gorgeous and alluring perfume of fresh roses is followed by a Burgundian, elegant red with incredible length and no harsh edges, fine and present tannins, and beautiful, graceful concentration. It is drinking well now, and I will be trying to get my hands on as much of this as possible. Drink 2025-2045.

The G.D. Vajra estate is based within the commune of Barolo, with the entire family contributing and Giuseppe and Aldo Vajra at the helm of the winemaking responsibilities. Giuseppe, who took more of a leadership role in 2008, has been instrumental in continuing to develop the family estate, while Isidoro Vajra leads in vineyard management. 

Most recently, they have completed the expansion of their cellar space and offices. They are also now releasing their wines a touch later to allow for additional time in bottle to soften any harsh edges. As of the 2019 vintage, both the G.D. Vajra and Luigi Baudana estates are certified organic.

Drink 2025 - 2045

The 2019 Barolo Bricco delle Viole offers a beguiling combination of depth and energy. Dark and potent in the glass, yet also quite reticent, the 2019 is going to take a number of years to come around. Black cherry, graphite, crushed rocks, mint, sage and incense all open in the glass, but only with quite a bit of reticence. I especially like the way the 2019 opens up on its resonant, expansive finish, but it remains a decidedly brooding Barolo whose best days are far off in the future.

The 2019 Barolos at Vajra are seriously impressive. These wines need a ton of air to show all they have to offer, something readers who want to taste them at this stage should bear in mind. The classicism of these wines is quite appealing for the future.

“It was a year with an early bud break but with late flowering and a late harvest; in other words, a year with a long growing season, one of the longest of the last decade.” Giuseppe Vajra explained. “We had challenges with heavy rain in spring, but 2018 helped us understand we had to act quickly and decisively, so we did,” he added.

Harvest took place between October 7 and 23. “The wines extracted easily,” Aldo Vajra opined. “We gave the 2019s 25-31 days on the skins, less than 2018 and 2017 and far less than years like 2010, with submerged cap maceration for all the top single-vineyard selections. Time in wood was about 28 months for the vineyard designates.”

Drink 2029 - 2049