G.D. Vajra has been one of Barolo's most dependable producers for four generations. Aldo Vaira founded the estate in the early 1970s, returning to his ancestors' land in Vergne at a time when many were leaving the countryside. Today, the estate is run by his children Giuseppe, Isidoro and Francesca, with Aldo and Milena still closely involved in the work. The continuity shows in everything they do.
The vineyards tell much of the story. Over decades, the family has assembled parcels across Barolo, Novello and Serralunga, each farmed with the same close attention and sense of purpose. Bricco delle Viole, their highest site, sits above the fog line on the western ridge of the village, its vines dating to 1931. Ravera, in Novello, is among the most complex soils in the appellation. These are not vineyards that reward impatience, and Vajra does not farm them that way.
The 2022 vintage tested that patience. Dry conditions through summer kept yields low and had growers watching carefully across the Langhe. But September brought the temperature drop Nebbiolo needed, and the fruit came in clean and composed. Giuseppe Vaira, who visited Australia earlier this year, put the vintage in characteristic perspective: "Often 'difficult' gets translated into 'bad'. But some of the hardest moments were the moments that made me mature the most."
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