What?
Juice 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo, GD Vajra, Piedmont, ITA
Grape 100% Nebbiolo
Farming Practising Organic
Tasting Note Notes of violet and rose, accompanied by the freshness of ripe red berry fruits on the nose. This is an elegant Nebbiolo with herbaceous notes and perfumes of roses and red berries complemented by silky tannins and delicate acidity.
Who?
Aldo Vaira's wines are characterised by pristine flavours and clearly defined perfumes. These characters are attributable to the position of his vineyards at about 400 metres above sea level in the village of Vergne in the commune of Barolo. G.D. Vajra was established in 1972 and named after Aldo's father, Giuseppe Domenico Vajra. Aldo has been gradually increasing the area under vine to 60 hectares, of which 10 are Nebbiolo for Barolo, located in such strategic spots as Bricco delle Viole, Fossati, La Volta and Coste di Vergne. A traditionalist, Aldo adheres to oldstyle winemaking methods, though blends these with new techniques, such as temperature-controlled fermentation, to produce such superbly elegant wines.
Why?
We just love this gorgeous expression of Nebbiolo. It showcases everything we find seductive about the king of varieties from Piedmont. The nose draws you in and almost coerces you to take another whiff. The subtle aromas of dried rose petals with savoury undertones and bright and light red fruit are almost addictive. It is the sort of wine you could just sit and smell for hours, taking almost as much enjoyment out of this as drinking it. We did say almost…
With?
The classic paring from Piedmont is ‘Tartufo’ or Truffle though the price tag for these little gems is prohibitive and for mere mortals such as us perhaps only something one would splurge on for a special occasion. Day to day one might look to some of the aforementioned fungi’s extended family as anything of the mushroom variety would work an absolute treat. We would suggest a lovely Mushroom Ragu tossed casually through your pasta of choice. If we had to choose a pasta we’d be inclined to use fat, silky ribbons of Pappardelle as they hold the saucy deliciousness of the mushrooms with aplomb.
