External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.6 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 53 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Hepp_Cellar on 2/20/2024 & rated 95 points: This was very highly rated when I bought it and it really delivered. Really, really good. (7426 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 2/10/2024: Decanted for 2.5 hours, medium red hue like a Pinot, red cherries, powerful bold aromas, the palate is rich & very refined, caressing tannins envelope your mouth, v good young Barolo (6578 views) | | | Tasted by JWS84 on 10/14/2023: Remarkable depth of fruit for a young Barolo with super fine tannins. It was great to check in on this wine and it showed extraordinarily well, but it will of course only improve with time. For me the Bricco delle Viole was probably the single greatest value in the 16 vintage. (6869 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 10/8/2023: Opened the night before & it needed it, big full bodied Barolo that was balanced, enjoyable & paired well with bone marrow (8460 views) | | | Tasted by Gene_Mo on 6/9/2023 & rated 90 points: Popped the cork about 5 hrs early for a little decant. Graphite prevalent but nice fruit. Thats about it. Nice, but I dont expect I will return to this wine. (10341 views) | | | Tasted by SARED on 5/19/2023 & rated 93 points: Pop and pour. 14.5% Expressive on the nose, but not as beautiful when I tried it on release. In fact, I found the VA distracting on the nose without so much of the fruit or rose I found in youth. A little spicy on the finish. I'm a little surprised this is now a $150 wine per CT auction data, but I guess its cheaper than Burgundy! Maybe Vajra isn't my jam? Will try 08 BdV next. (9440 views) | | | Tasted by connorpksmith on 4/29/2023 & rated 96 points: Decanted for 30 minutes before enjoying over an hour at L’artusi. Same as my previous notes. This is outstanding. Aromas filled the entire room and the palate went on for days. Finish goes on and on. I can’t wait to see how this develops over the next few decades. 96-97+ (9720 views) | | | Tasted by ragavolley on 3/11/2023 & rated 94 points: Cerise et mentholée . Cuire et terre . Wow super doux avec une longueur un des meilleurs Barolo (10005 views) | | | Tasted by connorpksmith on 1/16/2023 & rated 95 points: Pnp over 2 hours at 2 Amy's Pizzeria. This is still going strong! Wish we gave it a short decant before enjoying. This kept getting better and better as the night went on. The last sip was the best. Still one of the best Barolos from the '16 vintage IMO. (11040 views) | | | Tasted by Harley1199 on 1/15/2023: By the glass. Open the first bottle of the tasting to allow it to breathe the longer the better. Aromas of cherries and red berries with spices sprinkled, nutmeg type. On the palate it is tasty from the beginning, enough acid support and a final tannic. Definitely one of the best Vajra I have taken place to taste. Maybe because it’s atypical.
Por copas. Botella abierta la primera para permitir que respirase cuanto más rato mejor. Aromas a cerezas y bayas rojas con especias espolvoreadas tipo nuez moscada. Al paladar es sabrosa desde el inicio, suficiente soporte ácido y un tánico final. Sin duda uno de los mejores Vajra que he tenido lugar de catar. Quizás por atípica. (9393 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 12/9/2022: Still going strong! Cherry fruit, fresh, lively on the palate. To hold. (9153 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 12/8/2022: At the five day mark. And still going strong, shockingly so. (9027 views) | | | Tasted by SARED on 12/4/2022: Big nose. Wine shut down after an hour. Dark red fruit, rose, rosewood and cinnamon than the brightness of youthful red fruit. (8619 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 12/4/2022: Massively stern on the palate off the cork opening. I forget where this cru is. Certainly not serralunga! But the aromatics are there. To lay down, but its open so we shall see where it goes! (8539 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 9/24/2022 & rated 94 points: Hadn't planned to open my first this soon given the vintage but reliable recent CT notes made me glad I did. I've been buying & drinking Bric delle Violle regularly since '04. Most vintages have enough polish to open well before a Giacosa or Bartolo Mascarello release. Assuming you give it enough air. Opened 4-1/2 hrs prior to dinner. A quick sniff & sip were promising so I simply slow-oxed in Reidel Burgs & btl the rest of the way. While still needing yrs to showcase its tertiary rewards this is surely a pleasure now celebrating its stellar; balance, freshness & top-notch fruit in '16. Enticing roses & underbrush on the nose. Delicious dark raspberry, licorice, mint, earth & underbrush. 14.5% alc went unnoticed. (9657 views) | | | Tasted by BlueDevilWineLVR on 7/3/2022 & rated 96 points: This wine was a showstopper for me. I adore all of the ‘16s, but this one was lush, tobacco, tar, mushroom. It felt like I could taste the earth on which the grapes were grown. A beautiful wine to have with a steak or a nice cheese selection. It almost tastes like a Bordeaux to me, but maybe because it is so smooth. I did not taste any of the tight tannins I would expect with a young Barolo. I will be curious to see how this ages. I decanted for 3 hours the first day but I don’t even think it needs such a long decant. Maybe an hour is enough. Second day I drank it from the bottle and kept going back for more. As someone else has noted, this bottle won’t last until day 3. (9389 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 3/25/2022 & rated 97 points: Drank over two days...because it was too delicious to hold for a third.
In an overstated vintage, which features intoxicating, all-things-raspberry, crunchy red fruits and berries, rhubarb, exotic citrus, acerola, and 'sweet' herb-driven bouquets, yet, in many instances, on the palate, high-pitched, lean, astringent, biting elements, this, along with Vietti's Castiglione offering, stand out among offerings that retail for under $100.
This wine delivers! The equal parts red and purple fruited perfume, also offers violets, rose oil, mint, wintergreen, rosemary, hibiscus tea, spring potpourri, citrus preserves, berry liqueurs, red and purple root vegetables, and pipe tobacco, backed by tremendous earth and mineral depth and wafting petrol.
The evocative attack rivets the senses, turns spectacularly expansive at the middle, gracing, then bracing, then gracing again, with tremendous precision, lift, and elegance. Beware the powdery and gritty tannins that kick in at the back, and linger through a sophisticated flavorful finish of striking length and inflection-changing range.
Pure, abstract yet concrete, delicate yet powerful, sleek yet gripping.
Only non-tanninphobes should drink this over the next several years, after a long decant, 8 to 10 hours will do it no harm. Otherwise, hold for at least a decade. Likely to evolve through 2045+ and hold for a long while thereafter.
Difficult to find such QPR at under $100, from any region, the world over. 97-98. (11932 views) | | | Tasted by HowardNZ on 1/23/2022 & rated 95 points: 2016 Vajra (and Baudana) Barolo tasting (Wellington, NZ): Among the historical vineyards of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is the highest and the closest to the Alps at between 400 to 480 meters above sea level, on the Western ridge of the village. Its vines date back to 1949 and due to early sunrise and late sunset and what Vajra calls the “perfect southern exposure” enjoys a dramatic diurnal temperature range.
The most expressive and perfumed of the 2016s. Lovely aromatics. Blackberries, some crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, spices, cloves and gentle rose florals and a whisp of violets. On palate, very black fruited and precise with a touch of mint. Sleek and elegant. Bright, focused acidity. Serious structure and mid palate weight. Powerful and tightly coiled with iron ore at its core. The tannins even more fine-grained than with the Ravera but more closed, with even more tannic grip. Powerful, persistent acidity. At present, severe and strict. This wine will need even longer to unfurl, perhaps drinking from 2028+. Great expectations here. Classic, traditionally made Barolo. Wine of the tasting. 95+. (11995 views) | | | Tasted by catowne1 on 9/24/2021 & rated 93 points: Drank over two days. Day one pop and pour. Let breath only the glass, and consumed the first glass over about an hour and a half. The nose was initially very fresh. Mint and cherries with just a hint of leather and tobacco. Very tannic, yet had a creaminess to the mouthfeel. Incredible. Day two, slightly less intriguing. The freshness of the nose gave way to a bit more alcohol and a cheesiness that wasn’t there before. There is an austerity on the palate that wasn’t present in day one.
1 or 3 bottles I have, so I am excited to see how this ages. Would have given a 95 on day one, but less impressed on day 2. (12109 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 7/24/2021: Wanted to check in on this as previous notes said that it was approachable now. Still very tight though, the pendulum for the wine kept swinging between being open and closed over the course of a few hours. When it was open, the wine showed very pretty red fruits with a gorgeous nose that reminded me of a Burgundy actually. But when it was closed it was much less pleasant and a little disjointed with the firm tannins sticking out. Maybe beginning to shut down? (11862 views) | | | Tasted by Jonas Boman on 6/19/2021 & rated 92 points: Great wine and good to drink now. Decanted for three hours before drinking it. Showed notes of Viole (no shit, sherlock) nypon berries, strawberry, rosepedals.
The wine did not meet up to the expectations though. Will try again in a couple of years. (11083 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 5/30/2021: Mesmerizing young Barolo. Such a gorgeous nose of cherry, pomegranate, raspberry and rose petal. It is elegant, highly perfumed and possesses latent power. Balance is exquisite and every sip draws you in. It is not heavy in the slightest and has such great energy and drive. (11098 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 5/27/2021 & rated 98 points: Tasted over two days, alongside a 2012 Produttori del Barbaresco.
This Barolo offered a prettiness of perfume and textures that the Barbaresco, made from declassified 'Cru' fruit this vintage, could not match. Indeed!...what an incredible bouquet...in a word...GORGEOUS! All things raspberry (fresh berries, jams, candies, teas, potpourri), in harmonious interplay with strawberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, and acerola, enhanced by orange marmalade, candied orange peel, orange blossom honey, kumquat, and candied lemon peel...with rose petal, hibiscus tea, rose hip, menthol, and evergreen forest top notes. In another...er...two words: KNEE-WEAKENING!!!
The bouquet's elements also show on the palate...in thunderous waves of esctacial rapture. (If this descriptor seems over-the-top...so be it.) Now to the inflection-changing textures: The attack puts the mind to Chambolle-Musigny while the middle and back evoke Corton. High acid and ethereally powdery tannin frame the wine with unpretentious grandiosity. The finish has no, nor understands the meaning of, quit.
Perfect oak treatment. Tremendous purity and harmony throughout. Incredible now, even better in time...and holding onto bottles will prove a challenging endeavor, no doubt. A top flight Barolo by any measure...including price. (12685 views) | | | Tasted by jwalkuro on 4/30/2021 & rated 95 points: Wine spectator -
Mint and cut grass aromas give way to cherry, black currant and raspberry fruit in this juicy red. Tar, tobacco and eucalyptus accents add depth as this builds to a long, gripping finish. Shows fine balance and length - I totally agree with this review. (9476 views) | | | Tasted by SARED on 4/22/2021 & rated 94 points: Very expressive, medium bodied barolo. Airy florals, roses, cherry, strawberry. Very beautiful red fruits with a touch of sweetness on a lighter bodied frame. Much more delicate than 2015 and 2014 renditions of this wine. Unfortunately, you can sense a smidge of the 14.5% alcohol on the finish... the delicacy of the wine can't hide all of the power. Accordingly, this strikes me as a wine that peaks in another 10 years, versus 20+ years. I can see 93-94 today and 94-95 over time. (9368 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (8/14/2020)
(G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole) Subscribe to see review text. | By Walter Speller
JancisRobinson.com (7/22/2020)
(G D Vajra, Bricco delle Viole Barolo Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (5/28/2020)
(G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole, Red, Italy) Subscribe to see review text. | By Michael Godel
WineAlign (5/17/2020)
(G.D. Vajra Barolo Docg Bricco Delle Viole red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2016 Barolo: Right Place, Right Time (Feb 2020) (2/1/2020)
(G.d. Vajra Barolo Bricco Delle Viole Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Brook
Decanter, Barolo 2016 Nebbiolo Prima (1/26/2020)
(GD Vajra, Bricco delle Viole, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy, Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of The WINEFRONT and JancisRobinson.com and JamesSuckling.com and WineAlign and Vinous and Decanter. (manage subscription channels) |
| G.D. Vajra Producer Website
The Vajra family has quietly amassed a serious collection of vineyards that make them one of Piedmont’s larger, family-owned estates, something they have accomplished while maintaining the already high level of their entry-level wines. Every wine in the range is absolutely delicious and full of personality. I can’t recommend these new releases highly enough. Antonio GalloniNebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerBricco delle Viole On weinlagen-info
Bricco delle Viole is a 45.74 ha. vineyard (cru)/ 19.38 ha. Barolo MGA of the Barolo municipality.Italy Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)BaroloRegional History:
The wines of Piedmont are noted as far back as Pliny's Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piedmont was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piedmontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine -- most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally. In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a frenchwoman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour -- later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy -- this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont. At the heart of the region and her reputation are Alba and the Langhe Hills. This series of weathered outcroppings south of the Tanaro River is of maritime origin and composed mainly of limestone, sand and clay, known as terra bianca. In these soils -located mainly around the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco -- the ancient allobrogica, now Nebbiolo, achieves its renowned fineness and power.
map of Barolo DOCG
An interesting thread on Traditional vs. Modern Barolo producers:
https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106291 |
|
