G.D. Vajra vineyards in Winter . . . .

Isidoro Vaira took these pictures the other day around the G.D. Vajra winery.

G.D. Vajra is in the little frazione (township) of Vergne.  

The roses at the end of the rows in the vineyard popping their heads above the snow

Best to stay inside next to the fire and drink some good wine.

Looks like some good wines for a winter's day.

Would be great to taste a  Barolo from Vajra that is this old . . . 

2006 Ronco Severo Tocai Friulano - unreal!

Fresher now than a few years ago!  Deep copper/gold in color but fresh in the nose of golden delicious apples and orange peel.  In the mouh, the wine is cool and bright with medium plus acidity and a really long finish.  Lots of apple, apricot and dried fruit.  Delicious.

Yes, sometimes a magnum of Billiecart Salmon makes your New Year start out on the right foot .

G.D. Vajra review from the Wine Advocate from 1994 . . . .

I was reading through some old reviews on the Robert Parker website for G.D. Vajra and I found this one.

The first line is classic.

"Twenty years from now, long after this review has been forgotten, somebody will discover a bottle of this wine languishing in the corner of a dark, damp cellar and will be blown away by its quality."

and I like the last line, too.  I guess that has changed . . . . and here we are 20 years on (almost) and I would love to taste that wine . . . but there is none to be found.




1990 G D Vajra Barbera d'Alba Riserva Bricco Delle Viole
A Barbera Dry Red Table wine from
Barolo, Barbera d'Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Wine Advocate #95
Oct 1994 Robert Parker 94 Drink: 1999 - 2014
Twenty years from now, long after this review has been forgotten, somebody will discover a bottle of this wine languishing in the corner of a dark, damp cellar and will be blown away by its quality. This tiny producer has turned out a majestically rich, full-bodied, blockbuster Barbera that requires five more years of cellaring. It displays an opaque purple color, and intense, awesomely-concentrated flavors that need to be tasted to be believed. Clearly made from what must have been late-harvested grapes, it is remarkably rich, with low acidity, and sensational extract. With spectacular purity, richness, and full-bodied intensity, it should be a profound wine provided its purchasers have patience.

No known American importer.

A little love for Cirelli's Anfora Montepulciano . . .

I ran into this woman at the Wine House in Los Angeles by chance.  She was asking Lance, the wine buyer if he knew where she could find this "great wine a friend of mine brought to dinner last night" and on her phone was a picture of the Cirelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2011 Anfora!  Turns out it was out of her usual price range, but she bought it anyway!  She was so excited about it that I had to get a video of her for Francesco.

Luigi Baudana winery and vineyards . . . .

I stole these images from the Luigi Baudana website that is still under construction.  But the photos are beautiful.

Looking towards Serralunga d'Alba

Baudana Vineyard

Baudana Vineyard from another angle

Baudana Vineyard from the top

Cerretta Vineyard

Cerretta Vineyard

Look at the arches.  I wonder how old this cellar is?

Aging in barrique and botte

In the fermentation part of the cellar

Piemonte Seminar at Osteria Mozza with Giuseppe Vaira

Taylor Parsons of Osteria Mozza doing the honors

Guiseppe in forma

"Let me explain to you how the vineyard is . . . "

The sommeliers getting some education on Piedmont and G.D. Vajra wines.