G.D. Vajra

G.D. Vajra is an estate in the Barolo district of Piedmont. It is known for the consistently high quality of its range, and in particular its red wines made from Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera. These are praised for their elegance and finesse, and are often described as being somewhat Burgundian in style.

The estate has around 40 hectares (100 acres) of vineyards, around a quarter of which are planted to Nebbiolo for Barolo wines. The plots are mostly made up of old vines on rocky, chalky soils in sites which ripen later than other crus, which contribute to G.D. Vajra's fresh, aromatic style. Winemaking techniques are broadly traditional with the top reds undergoing slow macerations and long aging in casks – for example, the flagship Bricco del Viole is fermented for 30 to 40 days, then matured for 42 to 48 months in large Slavonian oak casks. 

The Barolo Bricco delle Viole is made from late-harvested fruit sourced from the vineyard of the same name. Vajra also makes a single-vineyard Barolo from the Ravera cru, which was introduced in 2010, and the Barolo Albe, which comes from three different vineyards. There is also a Langhe Nebbiolo made from young vines, and a Langhe Rosso which combines Nebbiolo with Dolcetto, Barbera and small amounts of Albarossa, Freisa and Pinot Noir.

Vajra also makes several wines without Nebbiolo, including the highly acclaimed Barbera d'Alba Superiore and Dolcetto d'Alba Coste & Fossati, and a Moscato d'Asti. Freisa, a rare variety native to Piedmont, goes to make the Langhe Freisa Kyè from the San Ponzio vineyard in Barolo, and the portfolio also includes a Langhe Bianco, made from Riesling.

The estate was established in the late 1960s when Aldo Vajra, then a teenager, began to farm the family vineyards. These  had been in the family's possession since the 1920s, but had been mostly farmed by sharecroppers.