2021 G.D Vajra Barolo Albe

Highly Rated
A blend of elevated sites across Barolo, this wine is built as a balanced, complete wine that will mature very well in the cellar.
4.5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
2 Reviews

Price:
Sale price$103.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Albe is Vajra doing things the old-school way, Giuseppe Vaira's tip of the cap to the great Piemontese winemakers of the 1950s and 1960s.

Before single-vineyard bottlings became the main event, Barolo was all about blending - pulling together fruit from different sites to make something complete. That’s exactly what this is.

It’s a mix of three high-up vineyards - Coste di Vergne, La Volta and Fossati - each facing a different direction, each catching the light in its own way. The 2021 vintage nails the brief: bright red fruit, rose petals, a touch of spice and orange peel, all wrapped up in these fine, grippy tannins that give it shape without getting in the way.

It’s the kind of wine that feels proper without being precious. You could cellar it for a decade and it’ll only get better, but honestly, it’s already drinking beautifully if you give it a little time in the glass. Straight-up value, from a family who knows exactly what they’re doing.

95 points
"Offers more value for your money than most Barolos out there... An enormously versatile expression of Nebbiolo with dark berry, pressed flower and crushed stone aromas; medium-plus texture and silky tannins."
- Monica Larner (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

94+ points
"Cherry, raspberry, liquorice, warm spices and menthol coolness... A bit of a dark horse here, with good potential given some time in the cellar."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94 points
"Juicy fruit profile with violets, dried flowers, and menthol; big tannin structure with a firm, tightly wound finish."
- Jacobo Garcia-Andrade Llamas (JamesSuckling.com)

95 points - “Do you have a favourite pair of jeans or a favourite dress that you keep in your closet for all occasions? That’s the equivalent of this wine. The G.D. Vajra 2021 Barolo Albe is an enormously versatile expression of Nebbiolo, with an affordable price, that offers more value for your money than most Barolos out there. The bouquet focuses on dark berry, pressed flower and crushed stone. It offers good sharpness over broad lines. The mouthfeel is medium-plus in texture and it closes with silky, accessible tannins. Fruit comes from three cru sites: Coste di Vergne, Fossati and La Volta.” - Monica Larner (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

94+ points - "Cherry, raspberry, liquorice, warm spices and menthol coolness. It’s full-bodied, quite an ironstone character and serious feel to this wine, orange peel tang, lively acidity, red and blue fruits, with a firm black tea and emery board tannin finish of excellent length. A bit of a dark horse here, with good potential given some time in the cellar." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94 points - “Violets with dried flowers and hints of blueberries and menthol. This has a juicy profile of fruit that complements a big tannin structure that concludes with a firm, tightly wound finish and just a touch of shy fruit. Approachable now, but best in 2026.” - Jacobo Garcia-Andrade Llamas (JamesSuckling.com)

Customer Reviews

4.5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
Based on 2 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 1 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
2 reviews
  • CK
    Chris K.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    3 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2019 G.D Vajra Barolo Albe
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    2017 G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe

    Sumptuous and as far as Barolo’s go very drinkable now but if you’re patient will reward you in a few years time. I’m not that patient

  • KH
    Krysty H.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    3 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2019 G.D Vajra Barolo Albe
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Beautiful Wine - Easy to Order

    2017 G.D Varja Barollo Albe is just a beautiful drop!

    Ordering through Different Drop was easy and seamless. Wine was delivered on time and as promised

    Will be ordering again through these guys in the near future

The true beauty of Albe is the caress of the sun that rises three times every morning over our vineyards. It’s the exceptional simplicity of nature that makes the awakening of life an everyday miracle. – Milena Vaira.

Albe is our tribute to traditional Barolo and its ‘Maestri’. This is a blend of high-elevation vineyards where, every day, we see three beautiful sunrises – or ‘Albe’. A blend of Barolo DOCG vineyards with exposures that range from south-south-east to south-west, at high elevation between 380 and 480 m above sea level.

In 2021, the fruit for our Barolo ‘Albe’ was picked between October 5th and 21st. Grapes were sorted manually three times: directly on the vine, as whole clusters on the sorting tables, and lastly as single berries after destemming. Vinification was carried out in custom-designed vertical tini, with gentle punch-down and pump-overs. Macerations were generally very long, between 30 to 61 days, with partial submerged-cap. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel during the following spring. The wine was aged for 24 months in large Slavonian oak casks of 40, 50, and 75 hectolitres. Bottling took place in early July 2024.

Garnet red colour with a lively core. The nose opens with fresh and crushed flowers, bright Nebbiolo aromatics and light balsamic notes. The mouth is vibrant and energetic, enriched by tones of rose petal, fresh red fruits, spices, tobacco and orange peel. Long, with fine and velvety tannins. – Squadra Vajra

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Nebbiolo
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Feature High Score
Reviewed By The Wine Front
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 95
94
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2021
Closure Cork

G.D. Vajra

G.D. Vajra is a small, artisanal family producer and one of the benchmark modern day producers in Barolo.

The wines are now made by the family's second generation, with Giuseppe in the winemaking driver's seat supported by his siblings; Isidoro and Francesca under the watchful eye of father and founder Aldo and their mother Milena.

These are stunning examples of the regional staple varieties, made with one eye on tradition and one on progression. With holdings in the commune of Barolo as well as Novello, Sinio and Serralunga, they cover some of the most sought-after terroir in the region and make the most of it.

As noted wine writer Antonio Galloni once wrote, theirs is “a world of sublime hand-crafted, artisan wines of the very highest level”.

The Vaira family - Barolo, Italy G.D. Vajra

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