2019 G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe

G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe is a tribute to the masters of the 1950s and 60s, to those winemakers who had the vision and the taste to blend some of the most amazing crus in order to achieve a Barolo of balance and charm.
The high-elevation vineyards for Barolo Albe have an exposure ranging from south-south-east to south-west. The grapes are usually picked in the second half of the Nebbiolo harvest. Vinification is made in custom-designed vertical vats, with gentle punch down and pumpovers. Maceration lasts 25 days on average. Malolactic conversion occurs in stainless steel the following spring. Albe rests on average between 30 and 36 months in large (40, 50 and 75hL) Slavonian oak casks. The wine is usually racked once a year. Blending is decided in the spring prior to bottling. – Giuseppe Vaira

The 2019 Barolo Albe is a nuanced, understated wine, but it is also a rare Albe that needs time in bottle. Sweet floral and spice notes open first, leading to an attractive core of Nebbiolo fruit. Gentle and understated, with lovely precision, the 2019 Albe is a hushed wine that is more about energy than size. I have seen the Albe really blossom with a few years in bottle. I expect that will be the case here as well given its super-classic feel. – Antonio Galloni, Vinous