2025 G.D. Vajra, Barbera d’Alba DOC, Piemonte, Italy.
Again, I’m absolutely captivated by the basic all tank raised Barbera here at Vajra, this is one of my favorite quaffers, I have a fancy for Barbera and Dolcetto and cannot resist them, especially when they are as delicious as this dark purple/garnet 2025 version and its purity of fruit and place in the glass. This youthful and fresh medium bodied and silky Barbera d’Alba is beautifully transparent on the palate with lively blackberry, plum, cherry and tangy currant fruits, along with subtle florals, brambly spice, a touch of loam, mineral, anise and snappy herbs, making for a perfect wine with pasta dishes, especially with its lifting cut of acidity. This is a fine example of Barbera, showing the grape’s best character and again it goes brilliantly with food, as it should do, and it really over performs for the price. This wine, 100% Barbera, is a blend of vineyard parcels within the zone, all organic fruit from estate vines growing on a wide range of terroirs and exposures with a mix of classic marl limestone, clay and sandy soils. The Vajra’s, pioneers of sustainable, organic and holistic farming in Piemonte, focus on promoting, as they say, the biodiversity of both flora and fauna, not just in their vineyards, but also on the winery grounds and the near by forests. I usually search out the Superiore Barbera here at Vajra, with vines dating back to 1949, but this unoaked “normale” is darn tasty and really hit the spot, you just can’t go wrong with any of these wines.
The Vajra’s Barbera d’Alba, which is outstandingly drinkable and nicely expressive, is sourced from a selection of estate vines, some of which date back to 1949, as mentioned, with some coming from Bricco delle Viole, the Vajra’s great Barolo Cru and Bricco Bertone, providing this wine with some concentration and a prestigious sense of place. Many of these vineyard sites are at higher and cooler elevations that allows for long hang time, that adds to the depth and charm found in this wine. Made from carefully sorted and 100% de-stemmed grapes that were fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats with 20 days of maceration, then this Barbera d’Alba DOC saw 12 months on the lees. Prior to release Vajra rests it a few more months in bottle to make sure the wine is fully integrated and harmonious at release. Vajra uses gentle punch downs and, explaining that they rinse he cap for longer periods of time, in order to capture all the fragrance of the grapes, with this bottling going through malolactic fermentation and aging exclusively in stainless steel, that promotes clarity and purity of this Barbera. Aldo Vajra, most known for his Barolo efforts, has given way to his kids who have really continued his legacy of excellence here and Giuseppe Vaira’s work here is nothing short of brilliant, especially his cru Barolo, but also his rare and thrilling Riesling, along with the varietal Freisa, Dolcetto, Moscato and Nebbiolo wines, plus of course the range of Barbera offerings! I highly recommend catching up with the Vajra collection as soon as possible, up and down the range, and in particular this latest Barbera d’Alba.
($25 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive