2021 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole

Highly Rated
Perhaps the most sought-after of the exquisite Cru Barolo from the iconic G.D. Vajra

Price:
Sale price$209.00
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Description

Bricco delle Viole is the highly sought-after Vajra flagship. The highest vineyard in Barolo, straddling 400 to 480 metres above sea level, it’s where the Alps first kiss the vines and the sun holds on just that little bit longer. It’s also the cru that taught Aldo Vaira patience. 

In 2021, this vineyard delivered something electric. Picked in mid-October and treated to a 51-day maceration, the resulting wine is crystalline in its detail. This is Nebbiolo with poise and tension, right at the apex of Barolo's finest wines. The aromatics are lifted and layered: violets, incense, balsamic lift, dark red berries, blackcurrant and a flicker of eucalyptus. The tannins beautifully silky and sculpted.

It's the focus and precision in this Cru that sets it apart. Endless sheets of shaley, minerally tannin, a head-spinning bouquet of flowers, almonds and a springtime herb garden in full bloom.

It's one of the great wines of Barolo and remarkable value given the pedigree and stature of this wine in the context of the region.

97 points
"Fragile at first but evolves with redcurrant, pressed flowers, savory peat moss and ashy stone; beautifully nuanced and sharply detailed."
- Monica Larner (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

96 points
"Dark cherry, liquorice, biscuit spice, orange peel and exotic perfume. It’s deep and a little sooty in texture, dried herbs with some amaro twang, black tea and mint, a juiciness to acidity, dark and savoury on a finish of excellent length and firm graphite tannin grip. Bold, but very good."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

96 points
"Stature and breeding with dark-toned fruit, leather, incense, and gravel; a sombre, potent Bricco delle Viole not to be opened soon."
- Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

96 points
"Dark cherries, orange rind, and dried flowers; incisive and elegant with refined tannins and a long, detailed finish. Better in 2026."
- Jacobo Garcia-Andrade Llamas (JamesSuckling.com)

97 points - “The organic G.D. Vajra 2021 Barolo Bricco delle Viole first shows a fragile side, but it eventually rolls onto much greater momentum and focus as it opens in the glass. This is always one of my favourite wines from this excellent producer, and I love it especially thanks to its fine nuances of redcurrant, pressed flower and something a little savory like peat moss. There is a hint of ashy stone or brimstone. All of these little details emerge with terrific sharpness in an epic vintage such as 2021. Fruit comes from a seven-hectare plot at 400 to 480 meters in elevation on Sant’Agata marl soils with marine fossils.” - Monica Larner (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

96 points - "Dark cherry, liquorice, biscuit spice, orange peel and exotic perfume. It’s deep and a little sooty in texture, dried herbs with some amaro twang, black tea and mint, a juiciness to acidity, dark and savoury on a finish of excellent length and firm graphite tannin grip. Bold, but very good." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

96 points - “The 2021 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is a wine of stature and breeding. Vertical in shape, the Bricco delle Viole has so much to offer. Dark-toned fruit, leather, incense, gravel and liquorice add an attractive savory edge. The 2021 is an especially sombre, potent Bricco delle Viole. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.” - Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

96 points - “Dark cherries, orange rind, dried flowers and cinnamon on the nose. The palate is incisive and medium- to full-bodied with tender fruit, refined and polished tannins and a long, persistent, flavourful finish. Elegant and almost ethereal in essence. Really well-crafted and detailed. Better in 2026.” - Jacobo Garcia-Andrade Llamas (JamesSuckling.com)

Bricco delle Viole is the vineyard that taught us patience and naturally guided the style of our craft. – Aldo Vaira

Among the historical vineyards of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is the highest and the closest to the Alps. It rises from 400 to 480 meters above sea level, on the western ridge of the village. Its name, “Hill of Violets”, originates from the flowers that blossom early, thanks to the perfect south exposure. Up above the fogs, Bricco delle Viole enjoys the earliest sunrise and the last sunset every day.

Thanks to this pure light, a dramatic diurnal temperature range, and the age of its vines dating back to 1931, Bricco delle Viole generates a profound Barolo of bright aromatics, chiselled tannins, and subtle minerality. 100% Nebbiolo. Bricco delle Viole MGA, Comune di Barolo.

In 2021, fruit was picked between October 13th and 18th. Grapes were sorted manually three times: directly on the vine, as whole clusters on the sorting tables, and lastly as single berries after destemming. A traditional vinification was carried out in custom-designed vertical tini, with gentle punch-downs and rinsing of the cap, followed by an extensive period of maceration under submerged cap (cappello sommerso) that lasted 51 days. Malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel in the following spring. The wine was aged for 24 months in large Slavonian casks of 25 and 50 hectolitres. Bottled on June 27th, 2024.

2021 Bricco delle Viole is a wine of elegance and breed. The nose is beautifully layered and ethereal, with Nebbiolo peel, violets and crushed flowers, dark red fruits, incense and balsamic tones. The palate is deep and silky with integrated tannins, red fruits, black currant, eucalyptus, and a lingering fruity and mineral core of incredible persistence. – 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
James Suckling
Vinous
Critic Score 97
96
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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