Final of 4 bottles, last had this wine about 3.5 yrs ago. Lovely tobacco and sour cherry notes, some pretty acidity to cut through the tart fruit, and gritty tannins still present. Will last another 5+ yrs, but gorgeous now.
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Dès l'ouverture les signes de l'âge apparaissent, robe matte rouge brique tirant sur le brun. Premier nez de prunes et de chocolat noir En bouche, continuité, prunes cuites chocolat, liqueur d'amande, étonnamment les tanins sont bien présents, rêches, sauvegardant la tenue du vin. Nettement en déclin mais encore buvable !
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2 hour decant before serving. Deep garnet color. Jammy red berries on the nose, eventually picking up some syrupy fruits. Medium body with medium-to-medium-plus acid and strong mouthcoating tannins. Surprisingly thin on fruit on the palate, offering some raspberries, without quite picking up much secondary flavors yet. Jammy finish. This might be in an awkward phase.
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Been nearly 10yrs since my first of 2 btls and while I've since become a huge fan of Vajra's Bricco delle Viole this doesn't come close to capturing the year in year out more nuanced & refined Viole. This is a decent $30 value Barolo. That said, 2006 has been a stubborn rough ride w/ other producers too. So I may have experienced 2006 more than a typical Vajra Albe. I opened this 2-1/2 hrs prior to dinner & assumed slow-oxing in 2 Burg glasses & btl would tame the tannins. Ya, no :) This only semi smoothed out w/ our stew. Stand alone the structure was still a bit taut & challenging. I liked the menthol, sour cherry & raspberry notes and underbrush on the nose & palate. Just wished it had shown more resolved & refined after 15yrs in btl?? Even 3 hrs past dinner it was still a bit stand offish. Give it a ton of air if you open one soon. Alc 13.5%
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3rd bottle of 4. Last tasted 1+ yr ago. Bright sour cherry and raspberry fruit, alongside medicinal anise and menthol. Bright and grippy on the palate, with fine tannins and energetic acidity. Insane value at $30 USD. Drink now through 2024+.
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Nose: The Nose Is perfumed, elegant, and refined with red cherries, strawberries, raspberries, rose petals, licorice, potpourri, juniper berries, and a touch of leather.
Taste: The feel is medium bodied with tart, high acidity and silky, high tannins. The structure is showing some maturity, but it is still very much there along with red cherries, raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, licorice, and leather tones.
Overall: This is a gorgeous Barolo that is really in its pomp right now. The fruit is still primary, but it’s all in harmony along with a distinct and attractive savory side. This is drinking beautifully right now, but there is a long way to go.
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Quite dark with notes of dark cherries, spices, dark berries, and violets on the fragrant nose. Good acidity and robust structure with still drying tannins. Cherries, blood orange, and tar on the palate. Finish is a bit short. Excellent entry level Barolo that’s drinking really well right now.
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Bottle #2 of 4. Opened 2 days ago, been consuming a few glasses a day. This 13 yr old Barolo is showing quite nicely. To me, this wine shows off refreshing acidity with tart red fruits and finely grained, grippy tannins. The finish is med+ and reveals tart red cherry pit and some menthol. Drink now through 2021 or so. Great value at $30 USD!
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Pale, luminous and thoroughly translucent cherry red color. Very fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with quite distinctive and somewhat off-beat aromas of ripe red cherries, olive oil, some raspberry candy, a little bit of cloudberry jam, a hint of boysenberry and a touch of rusted iron. Aromatically the nose feels quite nuanced and attractive, but not what I'd typically associate with a Barolo. The wine is dry, dense and moderately full-bodied on the palate with somewhat understated flavors of ripe dark forest fruits, some exotic spices, a little bit of savory woody character, light red plum tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. Surprisingly, for a 2006 Barolo, the structure relies mostly on the high acidity, whereas the tannins are surprisingly gentle and easy for the style. Overall the wine feels wonderfully textural and silky. The finish is juicy, dry and gently grippy with medium-long flavors of ripe dark berries, some tart red plums, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A nice, approachable and balanced Barolo with a very distinctive, quite atypical and still rather attractive nose. Overall the wine is pleasant and noticeably ripe, yet without ever feeling particularly sweet-toned. Overall the wine was a bit underwhelming and mellow for a 2006 Barolo and thus maybe a bit disappointing, but nevertheless pleasant and enjoyable. Perhaps a bit pricey for the style at 38,70€, but not excessively so.
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Medium red. Drank with pasta , sausage, butter and Parmesan . This was vibrant , dried cherry and cranberries, licorice , tobacco, and a long and very pretty finish. Drinks well now, but still early in the drink window.
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Delicate bouquet of roses, light spices, and cranberries. Medium bodied, with moderately high acidity, and drying tannins on the leathery finish. This has plenty of years of good drinking ahead.
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Varietally correct, this nicely maturing Nebbiolo shows off red candied fruit, with spicecake & mint, finishing with firm tannins & nicely balanced acidity. Drink now through 2023+. Very nice.
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Leather, cedar, and rose petal fragrance. These are also present on the palate with added tart cherry that shows up with air time. Drank at PNP with grilled lamb chops but finished and retasted after several hours. Still has significant structure to allow it to continue to age. Nice minerality, moderately long finish.
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The 2006 Barolo Albe from Vajra is still youthful. Ruby red, this wine is medium-full bodied and exudes aromas of red fruits as well as typical Tar and Roses, which after about an hour start to dominate the nose. On the palate there is medium acidity, tart red fruits, some oak and a long but slightly bitter finish. Although this is nearly 10 years old, some big tannins remain but there are no rough edges. In fact, I enjoyed these firm tannins, which help create a great mouth-feel. This is an excellent showing from a quality producer in a superb vintage, which makes this outstanding value at Euro43 in a restaurant in Torino. It helped wash down Veal Cheek in Barbaresco wine sauce and was finished off with mature cheeses. Nearly 10 years in, this Barolo still retains its youth but nevertheless is drinking rather well today given some breathing time. I'm confident that this wine will hold good for another 10 years+.
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Um $30 for a 9 year old barolo? Yes please. I don't care if this is the entry level blend, this thing is great. Traditional. Fragrant. Roses. Pine needles. Tannic still! I decanted for a couple hours. Had with rosemary lamb. 2006 may be dark and scary but they are opening up.
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Tasted double blind. Cran raspberry nose, Hawaiian Punch, iron like blood. Very dry palate, rhubarb, menthol, zippy. Tannin texture is obviously Nebbiolo, seems young and stern right now.
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Another solid bottle, same as previous note, but fruit seemed more present on the palate. Very enjoyable, especially with a pasta dish with sausage & peppers.
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Tasted blind. Graham cracker, mild oak, and shortbread cookies on the nose. Very peppery Syrah-like entrance, medium bodied, cranberry and cherry palate, cinnamon undertones. Menthol/mint notes opened up after an hour. Bone dry, very tannic finish. I would say too early to open this one. I guessed Barolo.
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Open about 2 hours. Wonderful aromas of dried cherries, florals and hints of spice. Elegant wine with some power as well. Good length, mostly open, dry, dusty tannins which are present but not over powering, lovely, clean finish. This is drinking well with a good amount of air. Solid Barolo.
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Très beau Barolo bien typé sur la cerise amère, le tabac blond et la pomme grenade. Peu ou pas de bois perceptible. A été plus expressif après une heure d'aération. Déjà très approchable pour un Barolo, on peut commencer à en profiter sans remords et ce, pour les 10 prochaines années. Très belle bouteille!
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This has improved since my last bottle. The tannins are very mild, ditto for the acidity. Its still mild for a Barolo, but very enjoyable. Excellent QPR. I read back through the history of other reviews on this, and it seems its out of a closed period and back into a drinking window. At least to my taste this is very nice right now and better than it was near the purchase date.
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Clear garnet with brick tint. Nose of dust, roses, licorice, and vanilla. Silky palate of black cherry, minerals, licorice, and vanilla. Excellent length. Food-friendly acidity. Sweet approachable tannins. Superb QPR.
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Après avoir bu la grande cuvée du barolo de Vajra cette semaine, voici sa petite cuvée en millésime 2006. A l'ouverture, le vin semble présenter une robe avec un léger début d'évolution. Au nez, le vin apporte des nuances d'épices (cannelle, anis). En bouche, WOW, tout est là pour goûter un vin soyeux avec une très belle longueur. A dépassé son grand vin Bricco del Viole. 94 sur 100. Malheureusement, c'était ma dernière bouteille de ce millésime.
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Med. deep bright ruby. Slightly muted nose with cherry fruit and a touch of white pepper and road dust, slightly reductive perhaps. Med body. Adequate acidity, quite tannic, red tones, spice, tar on the palate. It's not bad at all, but tasted rather angular after aged Bricco delle Violes, like a (young) country cousin.
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My last note with this wine was seven months ago. This bottle is nothing like what I had then and is at least recognizable as Barolo. Now I just think it is young and impetuous. Incredibly dominant tannins, coating the mouth and finishing dry, dry, dry. But the aromatics are right though slightly astringent where it should be menthol. I will put that down to youth as well. Red fruit, very snappy acidity. Man, this makes my teeth squeak it is so tannic for so long. The rest of my bottles will be tucked away a few years.
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My last note on this wine was 10/14/10, when I tasted it at the winery. It has improved a lot since then. Clear light ruby. Opulent nose of roses, cherry, mint, and licorice. Ripe, delicious palate of black cherry, strawberry, spice, anise, and vanilla. Excellent length. Mouthwatering acidity. Youthful tannins.
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Pale red with a brownish rim. Good nose with typical nebbiolo aromas like rose, cedar red fruits and a hint of tar. A slight disappointment, dominant acids and very prominent alcohol that the fruit don’t manage to balance. Lacks concentration.
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Popped and poured through Vinturi. Initially struck by a massive full mouth coating of tannins. Lots of wild red fruit, a little tar and leather with a great balance of acidity. Very smooth after an hour or so.
The nose was just awesome and I think my (pregnant) wife was looking at me funny as I had my nose in the glass the whole night. I was picking up on some stewed prunes, cherry, menthol, soft tar and leather.
nothing flashy but overall an outstanding QPR barolo.not a cocktail wine but a food lover's wine . must go with food. very well made. any more concentrated would bring this into another class of barolo.
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Tannins dominate at first, but there’s plenty of raspberry and redcurrant fruit. With some air time the tannins recede, and some violet and tar aromatics peek through. Young, but not hard to drink.I don't get any new oak here. B+
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We drank this wine in Barolo while on vacation. We had it with traditional Piedmontese food (carne cruda, vitello tonnato) and it was excellent. It was described to me as being of the "modern" style, meaning aged in French oak, but to me it seemed to be little more rich in fruit, but less aromatic, at least the floral accents, than the "traditional" Barolos we tried.
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Decanted for two hours. Clear, medium red with an orange rim, no sediment. Somewhat accessible on the nose with aromas of cherries, leather, white pepper and a sour Brunello-like feel. Medium-bodied and fruit-forward on the palate, quite tannic towards the end. Already drinkable but needs to be paired with food. 90+
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This is supposed to be the early drinker in Vajra lineup. but there's plenty of tannic structure here. Red fruit, a bit restrained. I tried again 2 nights later and found it to have only minimal oxidation, and showing more on the nose- violets, underbrush, tar. B for now, should get better.
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Nice Barolo nose of tar and rose with no heat. Really started to explode once it was in a decanter for sometime. This is drinking tremendously well for a young Barolo but clearly that is the goal of this cuvee. Nothing mind blowing on the palette yet the finish was long and lingering for a $30 Barolo.
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Like everything about this wine including the $30 price tag. Popped and poured. Its starts out a little tanic and then fleshes out amazingly nice after 20 minutes in a Burg glass. This is classy, elegant red fruited, and spicy with teriffic purity of fruit and freshness. Just delicious and I think potentially more complex with some age. Great stuff!
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Traditional in style. Open and accessible right now despite the strong tannins, however, his will clearly benefit with some age. Not very complex although fair at the price point. I won't repurchase.
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This is well described in the previous notes. Ready and very open after just an hour in the decanter. Primary nebbiolo fruit with gentle tannins. Easier to drink than some of the 10+ year old barolos I've had. Great for the price and the instant gratification.
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At times thin, at times complex and beguiling -- this is an intriguing wine with overtones of cherry, leather and roses. The positives are that this is outside the usual 'fruit dominated' realm and much more balanced with a sense of 'sour', 'tar', 'tobacco' and a dry, very tannic feel. I felt an immediate velvety covering as I absorbed the taste that makes me sense a strong tannic component to it at this age. The somewhat moderating influence, to my taste, is that the Pelissero Barbaresco at this price point was even more intriguing and had a more interesting blend of tastes. This one may need more aging. I did try it both after a modest wait from the bottle and after several hours of decanting time. It didn't develop (unlike some Rhone wines have done) with more air time. Interestingly the 2nd day on this differed from the first, with the aftertaste seeming more bitter and it striking us as 'thinner'. So, it may need more time 'in cellar' to really reach a stronger taste level.
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Bistro du Midi - extremely floral and expressive nose. There is some dust up in here! Dusty red fruits, chalk dust. Lightered bodied but with plenty of grip on the back end. Touch of menthol. Very solid entry level Barolo.
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Solid basic barolo, but a bit disappointing in that it didn't outperform the $18 '06 Vietti Perbacco that I had the night before. I had pegged this as an early drinker so I thought it would show well with a couple hour decant. Hopefully, this will pull together with a bit of bottle age...
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The nose showed dusty black cherry, allspice, rock dust and hints on menthol. On the palate, I found wild red berries, earth, green olive and crushed flower petals with teaming acidity and a slight sour profile. The finish showed cedar and leather but unlike most Barolo of it’s age, no overwhelming tannin. This may not be a Barolo for the ages but it is very enjoyable now.
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Two bottles tasted, with consistent notes. A delicious, classic, traditionally-styled Barolo. Moderately ripe, herb-tinged red berries, baking spices, and fragrant floral/rose notes that build to a complex, harmonious finish. Suave, fine tannins. Elegant and mid-weight, with an herbal/austere spine that balances the fruit. Should age well over the intermediate term. A screaming BUY at $27.
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Wonderful nose of deep dark red berries and some black fruit hints. Upon swirling, some sweet, popcicle tones. Resinous wine on the palate. Beautiful juice, pretty and well rounded fruit with just the right amount of tannin and well structured. Leaves a floral, delicate berry finish. Great!
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Tasted at the winery. I'm only posting on the wines I liked best. My notes are scanty. Young and tannic. Minimal oak. Nice minerals. Will evolve into a delicious Barolo with some time in the cellar.
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4/7/2024 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Final of 4 bottles, last had this wine about 3.5 yrs ago.
Lovely tobacco and sour cherry notes, some pretty acidity to cut through the tart fruit, and gritty tannins still present.
Will last another 5+ yrs, but gorgeous now.
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5/7/2023 - Morten & Morten wrote: 90 Points
Still young. Needs more time
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3/5/2023 - YoRi wrote: 90 Points
Dès l'ouverture les signes de l'âge apparaissent, robe matte rouge brique tirant sur le brun.
Premier nez de prunes et de chocolat noir
En bouche, continuité, prunes cuites chocolat, liqueur d'amande, étonnamment les tanins sont bien présents, rêches, sauvegardant la tenue du vin.
Nettement en déclin mais encore buvable !
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11/16/2021 - Morten & Morten Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect after 1 hour. Great now.
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9/23/2021 - timothynbond Likes this wine: 88 Points
2 hour decant before serving. Deep garnet color. Jammy red berries on the nose, eventually picking up some syrupy fruits. Medium body with medium-to-medium-plus acid and strong mouthcoating tannins. Surprisingly thin on fruit on the palate, offering some raspberries, without quite picking up much secondary flavors yet. Jammy finish. This might be in an awkward phase.
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4/8/2021 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
Been nearly 10yrs since my first of 2 btls and while I've since become a huge fan of Vajra's Bricco delle Viole this doesn't come close to capturing the year in year out more nuanced & refined Viole. This is a decent $30 value Barolo. That said, 2006 has been a stubborn rough ride w/ other producers too. So I may have experienced 2006 more than a typical Vajra Albe. I opened this 2-1/2 hrs prior to dinner & assumed slow-oxing in 2 Burg glasses & btl would tame the tannins. Ya, no :) This only semi smoothed out w/ our stew. Stand alone the structure was still a bit taut & challenging. I liked the menthol, sour cherry & raspberry notes and underbrush on the nose & palate. Just wished it had shown more resolved & refined after 15yrs in btl?? Even 3 hrs past dinner it was still a bit stand offish. Give it a ton of air if you open one soon. Alc 13.5%
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2/28/2021 - yipen wrote:
it is not a heavy wine but I found it evolved more flavor after open +30 min, Not a strong vintage can tell, time to drink this. Good
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2/15/2021 - jsjones Likes this wine: 94 Points
Raspberry. A little jammy. Also leather and maybe some fall spices? Well balanced and very tasty. Good age to drink now.
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10/26/2020 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
3rd bottle of 4. Last tasted 1+ yr ago.
Bright sour cherry and raspberry fruit, alongside medicinal anise and menthol.
Bright and grippy on the palate, with fine tannins and energetic acidity.
Insane value at $30 USD. Drink now through 2024+.
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8/30/2020 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
I liked this even if it didn’t scream Barolo. It’s light, and fairly open with plenty of fruit.
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10/26/2019 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Nose: The Nose Is perfumed, elegant, and refined with red cherries, strawberries, raspberries, rose petals, licorice, potpourri, juniper berries, and a touch of leather.
Taste: The feel is medium bodied with tart, high acidity and silky, high tannins. The structure is showing some maturity, but it is still very much there along with red cherries, raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, licorice, and leather tones.
Overall: This is a gorgeous Barolo that is really in its pomp right now. The fruit is still primary, but it’s all in harmony along with a distinct and attractive savory side. This is drinking beautifully right now, but there is a long way to go.
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8/23/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quite dark with notes of dark cherries, spices, dark berries, and violets on the fragrant nose. Good acidity and robust structure with still drying tannins. Cherries, blood orange, and tar on the palate. Finish is a bit short. Excellent entry level Barolo that’s drinking really well right now.
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6/22/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Bottle #2 of 4. Opened 2 days ago, been consuming a few glasses a day.
This 13 yr old Barolo is showing quite nicely. To me, this wine shows off refreshing acidity with tart red fruits and finely grained, grippy tannins.
The finish is med+ and reveals tart red cherry pit and some menthol. Drink now through 2021 or so. Great value at $30 USD!
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6/20/2019 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 93 Points
This aged very nicely. It was a good choice to let more time pass between the first bottle and this one.
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10/27/2018 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points
13,5% alcohol.
Pale, luminous and thoroughly translucent cherry red color. Very fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with quite distinctive and somewhat off-beat aromas of ripe red cherries, olive oil, some raspberry candy, a little bit of cloudberry jam, a hint of boysenberry and a touch of rusted iron. Aromatically the nose feels quite nuanced and attractive, but not what I'd typically associate with a Barolo. The wine is dry, dense and moderately full-bodied on the palate with somewhat understated flavors of ripe dark forest fruits, some exotic spices, a little bit of savory woody character, light red plum tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. Surprisingly, for a 2006 Barolo, the structure relies mostly on the high acidity, whereas the tannins are surprisingly gentle and easy for the style. Overall the wine feels wonderfully textural and silky. The finish is juicy, dry and gently grippy with medium-long flavors of ripe dark berries, some tart red plums, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A nice, approachable and balanced Barolo with a very distinctive, quite atypical and still rather attractive nose. Overall the wine is pleasant and noticeably ripe, yet without ever feeling particularly sweet-toned. Overall the wine was a bit underwhelming and mellow for a 2006 Barolo and thus maybe a bit disappointing, but nevertheless pleasant and enjoyable. Perhaps a bit pricey for the style at 38,70€, but not excessively so.
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10/27/2018 - Lype Likes this wine:
At first on the light side but with time in the glass develops power and becomes attractive.
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10/2/2018 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 96 Points
Incredible and over the top richness, structure, and balance.
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5/26/2018 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent, belle cerise, menthol, encore tanique et jeune
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4/30/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium red. Drank with pasta , sausage, butter and Parmesan . This was vibrant , dried cherry and cranberries, licorice , tobacco, and a long and very pretty finish. Drinks well now, but still early in the drink window.
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3/30/2018 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
Delicate bouquet of roses, light spices, and cranberries. Medium bodied, with moderately high acidity, and drying tannins on the leathery finish. This has plenty of years of good drinking ahead.
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8/12/2017 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Varietally correct, this nicely maturing Nebbiolo shows off red candied fruit, with spicecake & mint, finishing with firm tannins & nicely balanced acidity. Drink now through 2023+. Very nice.
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6/26/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Leather, cedar, and rose petal fragrance. These are also present on the palate with added tart cherry that shows up with air time. Drank at PNP with grilled lamb chops but finished and retasted after several hours. Still has significant structure to allow it to continue to age. Nice minerality, moderately long finish.
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11/14/2015 - ChristP Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 2006 Barolo Albe from Vajra is still youthful. Ruby red, this wine is medium-full bodied and exudes aromas of red fruits as well as typical Tar and Roses, which after about an hour start to dominate the nose. On the palate there is medium acidity, tart red fruits, some oak and a long but slightly bitter finish. Although this is nearly 10 years old, some big tannins remain but there are no rough edges. In fact, I enjoyed these firm tannins, which help create a great mouth-feel. This is an excellent showing from a quality producer in a superb vintage, which makes this outstanding value at Euro43 in a restaurant in Torino. It helped wash down Veal Cheek in Barbaresco wine sauce and was finished off with mature cheeses. Nearly 10 years in, this Barolo still retains its youth but nevertheless is drinking rather well today given some breathing time. I'm confident that this wine will hold good for another 10 years+.
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10/1/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Um $30 for a 9 year old barolo? Yes please. I don't care if this is the entry level blend, this thing is great. Traditional. Fragrant. Roses. Pine needles. Tannic still! I decanted for a couple hours. Had with rosemary lamb. 2006 may be dark and scary but they are opening up.
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7/18/2015 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Tasted double blind. Cran raspberry nose, Hawaiian Punch, iron like blood. Very dry palate, rhubarb, menthol, zippy. Tannin texture is obviously Nebbiolo, seems young and stern right now.
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7/9/2015 - form49b Likes this wine:
Surprisingly tannic and sturdy. Softened a bit on the second day. Slightly smoky cherry nose with a touch of cedar. Grippy, very dry finish.
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4/19/2015 - davergny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another solid bottle, same as previous note, but fruit seemed more present on the palate. Very enjoyable, especially with a pasta dish with sausage & peppers.
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3/14/2015 - Doc90 wrote: 89 Points
Tasted blind. Graham cracker, mild oak, and shortbread cookies on the nose. Very peppery Syrah-like entrance, medium bodied, cranberry and cherry palate, cinnamon undertones. Menthol/mint notes opened up after an hour. Bone dry, very tannic finish. I would say too early to open this one. I guessed Barolo.
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2/3/2015 - davergny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open about 2 hours. Wonderful aromas of dried cherries, florals and hints of spice. Elegant wine with some power as well. Good length, mostly open, dry, dusty tannins which are present but not over powering, lovely, clean finish. This is drinking well with a good amount of air. Solid Barolo.
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12/24/2014 - poste244 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Très beau Barolo bien typé sur la cerise amère, le tabac blond et la pomme grenade.
Peu ou pas de bois perceptible. A été plus expressif après une heure d'aération. Déjà très approchable pour un Barolo, on peut commencer à en profiter sans remords et ce, pour les 10 prochaines années.
Très belle bouteille!
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4/26/2014 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has improved since my last bottle. The tannins are very mild, ditto for the acidity. Its still mild for a Barolo, but very enjoyable. Excellent QPR. I read back through the history of other reviews on this, and it seems its out of a closed period and back into a drinking window. At least to my taste this is very nice right now and better than it was near the purchase date.
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4/8/2014 - Wink Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clear garnet with brick tint. Nose of dust, roses, licorice, and vanilla. Silky palate of black cherry, minerals, licorice, and vanilla. Excellent length. Food-friendly acidity. Sweet approachable tannins. Superb QPR.
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2/16/2014 - carstenf wrote: 90 Points
Licorice and tobacco with some cherry - I agree. Good bottle and worth the price.
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12/28/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nothing to add to 4/24/13 notes. Lovely, approachable Barolo. Cherries and licorice.
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12/24/2013 - mat600 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Après avoir bu la grande cuvée du barolo de Vajra cette semaine, voici sa petite cuvée en millésime 2006. A l'ouverture, le vin semble présenter une robe avec un léger début d'évolution. Au nez, le vin apporte des nuances d'épices (cannelle, anis). En bouche, WOW, tout est là pour goûter un vin soyeux avec une très belle longueur. A dépassé son grand vin Bricco del Viole. 94 sur 100. Malheureusement, c'était ma dernière bouteille de ce millésime.
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11/27/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always a delightful and approachable Barolo. My wife usually loves this wine. Tonight not so much. Can't say why.
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10/9/2013 - igaf wrote:
Med. deep bright ruby. Slightly muted nose with cherry fruit and a touch of white pepper and road dust, slightly reductive perhaps. Med body. Adequate acidity, quite tannic, red tones, spice, tar on the palate. It's not bad at all, but tasted rather angular after aged Bricco delle Violes, like a (young) country cousin.
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6/26/2013 - fdusonchet wrote: 89 Points
Magnifique nez mais bouche sechard
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5/9/2013 - randyjc wrote: 89 Points
My last note with this wine was seven months ago. This bottle is nothing like what I had then and is at least recognizable as Barolo. Now I just think it is young and impetuous. Incredibly dominant tannins, coating the mouth and finishing dry, dry, dry. But the aromatics are right though slightly astringent where it should be menthol. I will put that down to youth as well. Red fruit, very snappy acidity. Man, this makes my teeth squeak it is so tannic for so long. The rest of my bottles will be tucked away a few years.
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4/24/2013 - Wink wrote: 93 Points
My last note on this wine was 10/14/10, when I tasted it at the winery. It has improved a lot since then. Clear light ruby. Opulent nose of roses, cherry, mint, and licorice. Ripe, delicious palate of black cherry, strawberry, spice, anise, and vanilla. Excellent length. Mouthwatering acidity. Youthful tannins.
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2/20/2013 - Highmountain wrote: 87 Points
Pale red with a brownish rim. Good nose with typical nebbiolo aromas like rose, cedar red fruits and a hint of tar. A slight disappointment, dominant acids and very prominent alcohol that the fruit don’t manage to balance. Lacks concentration.
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1/20/2013 - easttide wrote:
IMO, this wine fell apart on day 2 and the last 1/2 glass on day 3. Still a big tannin wash and decent fruit, but nothing interesting like night one.
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1/19/2013 - easttide Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured through Vinturi. Initially struck by a massive full mouth coating of tannins. Lots of wild red fruit, a little tar and leather with a great balance of acidity. Very smooth after an hour or so.
The nose was just awesome and I think my (pregnant) wife was looking at me funny as I had my nose in the glass the whole night. I was picking up on some stewed prunes, cherry, menthol, soft tar and leather.
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12/15/2012 - Jmaclenn wrote: 94 Points
For such a young Barolo this is superb.
Smooth and spicy
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12/14/2012 - jeanluc07 wrote: 91 Points
nothing flashy but overall an outstanding QPR barolo.not a cocktail wine but a food lover's wine . must go with food. very well made. any more concentrated would bring this into another class of barolo.
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11/30/2012 - DaleW Likes this wine:
Tannins dominate at first, but there’s plenty of raspberry and redcurrant fruit. With some air time the tannins recede, and some violet and tar aromatics peek through. Young, but not hard to drink.I don't get any new oak here. B+
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6/6/2012 - dave_from_MD wrote: 90 Points
We drank this wine in Barolo while on vacation. We had it with traditional Piedmontese food (carne cruda, vitello tonnato) and it was excellent. It was described to me as being of the "modern" style, meaning aged in French oak, but to me it seemed to be little more rich in fruit, but less aromatic, at least the floral accents, than the "traditional" Barolos we tried.
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5/13/2012 - Rubicante wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for two hours. Clear, medium red with an orange rim, no sediment. Somewhat accessible on the nose with aromas of cherries, leather, white pepper and a sour Brunello-like feel. Medium-bodied and fruit-forward on the palate, quite tannic towards the end. Already drinkable but needs to be paired with food. 90+
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3/30/2012 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great, need, more, enjoyed at Maggianos. Terrific.
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12/3/2011 - DaleW wrote:
This is supposed to be the early drinker in Vajra lineup. but there's plenty of tannic structure here. Red fruit, a bit restrained. I tried again 2 nights later and found it to have only minimal oxidation, and showing more on the nose- violets, underbrush, tar. B for now, should get better.
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11/22/2011 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Starting to shut down. Nice aromatics, but more prominent acid/tannin than previous bottles. Probably should let these rest for a few years.
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11/7/2011 - wrrntl wrote: 86 Points
Nice Barolo nose of tar and rose with no heat. Really started to explode once it was in a decanter for sometime. This is drinking tremendously well for a young Barolo but clearly that is the goal of this cuvee. Nothing mind blowing on the palette yet the finish was long and lingering for a $30 Barolo.
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10/7/2011 - Gotcha wrote:
Needs more time.
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6/26/2011 - MrD wrote: 89 Points
Drinking pretty nicely now.
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5/29/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Like everything about this wine including the $30 price tag. Popped and poured. Its starts out a little tanic and then fleshes out amazingly nice after 20 minutes in a Burg glass. This is classy, elegant red fruited, and spicy with teriffic purity of fruit and freshness. Just delicious and I think potentially more complex with some age. Great stuff!
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5/22/2011 - the godfather wrote:
nice nose, not terribly complex but drinks very nice with some air
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5/21/2011 - JOsgood wrote:
Traditional in style. Open and accessible right now despite the strong tannins, however, his will clearly benefit with some age. Not very complex although fair at the price point. I won't repurchase.
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5/9/2011 - pifcho wrote: 91 Points
This is well described in the previous notes. Ready and very open after just an hour in the decanter. Primary nebbiolo fruit with gentle tannins. Easier to drink than some of the 10+ year old barolos I've had. Great for the price and the instant gratification.
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4/23/2011 - Ridermania wrote: 92 Points
floral, tannins still powerful
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4/10/2011 - grippo24 wrote: 92 Points
Licorice on the nose, fruity on the front end, swoosh it around for a fruit roll up cherry/strawberry flavor, soft for a Barolo and long finish
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4/2/2011 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 90 Points
At times thin, at times complex and beguiling -- this is an intriguing wine with overtones of cherry, leather and roses. The positives are that this is outside the usual 'fruit dominated' realm and much more balanced with a sense of 'sour', 'tar', 'tobacco' and a dry, very tannic feel. I felt an immediate velvety covering as I absorbed the taste that makes me sense a strong tannic component to it at this age. The somewhat moderating influence, to my taste, is that the Pelissero Barbaresco at this price point was even more intriguing and had a more interesting blend of tastes. This one may need more aging. I did try it both after a modest wait from the bottle and after several hours of decanting time. It didn't develop (unlike some Rhone wines have done) with more air time. Interestingly the 2nd day on this differed from the first, with the aftertaste seeming more bitter and it striking us as 'thinner'. So, it may need more time 'in cellar' to really reach a stronger taste level.
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3/26/2011 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bistro du Midi - extremely floral and expressive nose. There is some dust up in here! Dusty red fruits, chalk dust. Lightered bodied but with plenty of grip on the back end. Touch of menthol. Very solid entry level Barolo.
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3/13/2011 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Solid basic barolo, but a bit disappointing in that it didn't outperform the $18 '06 Vietti Perbacco that I had the night before. I had pegged this as an early drinker so I thought it would show well with a couple hour decant. Hopefully, this will pull together with a bit of bottle age...
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3/6/2011 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 90 Points
The nose showed dusty black cherry, allspice, rock dust and hints on menthol. On the palate, I found wild red berries, earth, green olive and crushed flower petals with teaming acidity and a slight sour profile. The finish showed cedar and leather but unlike most Barolo of it’s age, no overwhelming tannin. This may not be a Barolo for the ages but it is very enjoyable now.
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2/24/2011 - Siggy wrote: 91 Points
Two bottles tasted, with consistent notes. A delicious, classic, traditionally-styled Barolo. Moderately ripe, herb-tinged red berries, baking spices, and fragrant floral/rose notes that build to a complex, harmonious finish. Suave, fine tannins. Elegant and mid-weight, with an herbal/austere spine that balances the fruit. Should age well over the intermediate term. A screaming BUY at $27.
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12/15/2010 - vegasoenophile wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful nose of deep dark red berries and some black fruit hints. Upon swirling, some sweet, popcicle tones. Resinous wine on the palate. Beautiful juice, pretty and well rounded fruit with just the right amount of tannin and well structured. Leaves a floral, delicate berry finish. Great!
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10/14/2010 - Wink wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the winery. I'm only posting on the wines I liked best. My notes are scanty. Young and tannic. Minimal oak. Nice minerals. Will evolve into a delicious Barolo with some time in the cellar.
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