Barbera... the everyday alternative to a Barolo

The name Barolo from Piedmont—well, we know that one. In practice, we know that this wine also has a sturdy backbone. Dry teeth after a glass and a mouth that craves a piece of meat or cheese. But perhaps we would be better off first getting acquainted with its much softer, sweet little sister, the Barbera. Barbera It is also the most widely planted red grape in Piedmont. Vajra Barbera may be somewhat unknown, but it is certainly a more accessible and easier-to-drink wine. No knife and fork needed with this wine, in any case! This grape and wine of the same name are also perfectly suitable to serve at the table without a large roast.

No drying and harsh tannins here, at least. The Vajra Barbera d’Alba is fine to try for a change. The Vajra Barbera d’Alba has a dark purple color. Clearly a wine from a recent vintage, and it should be drunk as such. The nose is rich and lively, with aromas of roses, blueberries, and plums, along with a hint of pepper and fresh Mediterranean herbs. The taste is full-bodied with various layers of flavor; truly an absolutely charming and caressing wine, with soft acidity, ripe, soft forest fruit such as sweet blackberries and cranberries, and a lingering finish of licorice and anise. Truly a wine with measured power worth trying. Delicious with pizza with spicy salami picante or a fiery pasta with loklae peppers.

The Vajra Barbera d’Alba wine originates from several different vineyards with varying soils. This allows them to produce a Barbera that possesses diverse characteristics. The grapes are hand-picked with strict selection only in the second half of September, picking only the fully ripe grapes. Aging takes place in oak and stainless steel tanks for approximately 12 months. This process makes the wine pleasantly soft without harsh tannins.

G.D. Vajra

One of our most beautiful houses in the Piedmont region is the wijnhuis G.D. Vajra which was founded by Aldo Vaira in 1972. The initials G.D. refer to Giuseppe Domenico, the grandfather from whom he inherited the vineyards in the highest-situated commune of Barolo: Vergne. The difference between the family name “Vaira” and the name of the winery “Vajra” stems from a printing error when the winery first opened in 1972, causing the “i” to look like a “j” on the label.

And yes! here is another one of those typical Italian things: The original spelling of the family name was “Vajra” until 1918, when the letter “j” was eliminated from Italian except for foreign words. Therefore, the family decided to retain the old spelling to distinguish the name of the winery from the family name. Just to make things easier, right? Over the years, the company's holdings have grown to more than 40 hectares, and they are among the top Barolo and Barbera producers in Piedmont. The most important quality grape here is Nebbiolo; this is the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco, the most famous red wines of Piedmont.