After the first bottle was corked and the second bottle showed beautifully, this seems pretty advanced and flabby. The initial freshness and seductiveness is gone, there is a touch of oxidation sneaking in and this in combination with the ripeness of the vintage is killing it for me.
I adore the Vajra wines but looks like I had bad luck with the 2011 Superiore.
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Consistent with the last few bottles, this is a delicious, extracted, New World-style fruit bomb quite different from the previous vintages I’ve had, and I don’t think that Vajra has made one like this before or since 2011. It does have a good acid spine, and would work well with grilled steak, but otherwise is a bit too over-the-top. The best enjoyment comes on the long, sweet, balsamic and savory finish. My last bottle !!
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Deep purple color. Needs a few minutes to open up in the glass. Notes of black and red cherries, some licorice, tar, but also violets. It‘s pretty full-bodied and dense, with good medium+ acidity and lower tannin. The alcohol is slightly recognizable. This is a testament to the warmer vintage and it doesn‘t reach the heights of 2008, 2010 and some of the other more moderate vintages in terms of complexity and elegance. It does partially make up for it through ripeness, seductiveness and deliciousness.
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I am a defender of better Piemontese 2011s, despite their often fully ripe character, and a big fan of this particular cuvée, typically considering it one of the best Barberas from all of Piemonte. My last TN for this vintage, a few years ago, gave this wine the benefit of the doubt. However, to me, retasting the latest bottle, this Vajra is too over-extracted, New Worldish and overripe. The alcohol on the finish - 15% on the label - is also more than I would like, optimally. If I had more bottles of this wine I'd cellar them for 7+ years to see if they would better integrate. However, at the moment, for me this Barbera is a pass.
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Lots of plum, blueberry, lingonberry, oak on a medium weight body, silk tannins, licorice root powder, medium length ends in heat due to the massive 15%.
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I'm raising my note by one point since the last bottle, but my basic view remains unchanged: This is a delicious, highly-extracted New World style Barbera d'Alba Superiore, but it does not reach the heights of other vintages of BdAS from Vajra, as it is a bit too one-dimensional and lacks the complex aromatic profile that Vajra can give us in certain years.
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Kraftfull doft med mycket mörk frukt, lagerblad, lavendel och en del fat. Hög syra, fyllig, mullig, mörka körsbär, blåbär men också en lite störande alkoholhetta.
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Drunk over two evenings. Dark, deep but bright colour. An attractive bouquet of dark berries - blackberries, dark cherries, blackcurrants and even a suggestion of blue berries - dark spices, minerals and a hint of garrigue. Showing the vintage, very ripe, intense and unctuous on the palate. Balanced by good fresh acidity, giving precision. The flavours are dark berries and black liquorice wrapped around an iron and mineral core. There is serious structure, fruit weight and power here. The tannins are ultra-fine grained. Right now it's a little too primary and intense for me to fully assess. At 15% the alcohol is higher than I'd like, but does not seem over-prominent. Give the Superiore 3+ years in the cellar and it may end up matching the quality of the excellent 2008. I would expect the wine to go 10+ years, easily.
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This wine was a real disappointment for me. I've had the previous three vintages which were all special wines, with varying levels of intensity, complexity and spiciness. This wine was flat, one-dimensional and only worth about half the retail price. In absolute terms it is a good wine, well made, but relative to previous vintages and to its price it is a real under-performer.
Loads of blue and dark berries in this one! Nose is ripe, with vanilla and some licorice. Taste is dry, despite 15% alc. and the high acidity makes it surprisingly fresh, well done!!
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Piedmont -- G.D. Vajra Winery Visit: Aromatics of wild berries. Mineral, blend of 2 vineyards, 45-64 yrs old vines, 18m in wood. Long but absolutely approachable now. Good.
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G.D. Vajra Winery Visit (G.D. Vajra Winery in Barolo): Appearance is clear, pale intensity, purple colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of sweet red cherries and black cherries, and licorice. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol, medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavor intensity, with flavours of red cherries, black cherries, licorice, and very nicely integrated oak. Long finish. Very good quality Barbera. Big Barbera from old vines. Will improve over next 3-5 years.
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Fruit-forward and aromatic nose with raspberries, black cherries, new leather, some fresh herbs and sweet licorice. Medium bodied palate with good density, some sweetness, acidity and gentle tannic structure. The finish is medium plus. Very nice wine.
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Tasted @ Vajra. Made from 2 top vineyards (Bricco delle Viole in Barolo and Bricco Bertone in Sinio). This tastes like the regular Barbera on steroids. Intense nose of flowers, red fruits and dark fruits and some licorice and other spices. On the palate there are also some notes of tobacco and chocolate. Pretty full-bodied with medium tannin and medium+ acidity. Powerful and dense, the 15% alcohol are barely recognizable. I'm not sure if it has the elegance of the last few vintages though.
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1/17/2020 - e.nilvebrant@gmail.com Likes this wine:
Gott
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10/19/2019 - NostraBacchus wrote: flawed
After the first bottle was corked and the second bottle showed beautifully, this seems pretty advanced and flabby. The initial freshness and seductiveness is gone, there is a touch of oxidation sneaking in and this in combination with the ripeness of the vintage is killing it for me.
I adore the Vajra wines but looks like I had bad luck with the 2011 Superiore.
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9/16/2019 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with the last few bottles, this is a delicious, extracted, New World-style fruit bomb quite different from the previous vintages I’ve had, and I don’t think that Vajra has made one like this before or since 2011. It does have a good acid spine, and would work well with grilled steak, but otherwise is a bit too over-the-top. The best enjoyment comes on the long, sweet, balsamic and savory finish. My last bottle !!
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2/20/2019 - DerkHaaksma wrote: 91 Points
My favourite Barbera. Drinks very well now, expect it to be drinkable for a couple of years, but might not improve much.
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1/27/2019 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Needs a few minutes to open up in the glass. Notes of black and red cherries, some licorice, tar, but also violets. It‘s pretty full-bodied and dense, with good medium+ acidity and lower tannin. The alcohol is slightly recognizable. This is a testament to the warmer vintage and it doesn‘t reach the heights of 2008, 2010 and some of the other more moderate vintages in terms of complexity and elegance. It does partially make up for it through ripeness, seductiveness and deliciousness.
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7/23/2018 - HowardNZ wrote: 88 Points
I am a defender of better Piemontese 2011s, despite their often fully ripe character, and a big fan of this particular cuvée, typically considering it one of the best Barberas from all of Piemonte. My last TN for this vintage, a few years ago, gave this wine the benefit of the doubt. However, to me, retasting the latest bottle, this Vajra is too over-extracted, New Worldish and overripe. The alcohol on the finish - 15% on the label - is also more than I would like, optimally. If I had more bottles of this wine I'd cellar them for 7+ years to see if they would better integrate. However, at the moment, for me this Barbera is a pass.
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3/18/2018 - NostraBacchus wrote: flawed
corked
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3/21/2017 - thunberg wrote: 86 Points
Lots of plum, blueberry, lingonberry, oak on a medium weight body, silk tannins, licorice root powder, medium length ends in heat due to the massive 15%.
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3/15/2017 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 89 Points
I'm raising my note by one point since the last bottle, but my basic view remains unchanged: This is a delicious, highly-extracted New World style Barbera d'Alba Superiore, but it does not reach the heights of other vintages of BdAS from Vajra, as it is a bit too one-dimensional and lacks the complex aromatic profile that Vajra can give us in certain years.
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3/30/2016 - larseman Likes this wine: 87 Points
Kraftfull doft med mycket mörk frukt, lagerblad, lavendel och en del fat. Hög syra, fyllig, mullig, mörka körsbär, blåbär men också en lite störande alkoholhetta.
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12/12/2015 - BradE wrote:
Off of a restaurant list. Drank very well, and liked by all.
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8/22/2015 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Drunk over two evenings. Dark, deep but bright colour. An attractive bouquet of dark berries - blackberries, dark cherries, blackcurrants and even a suggestion of blue berries - dark spices, minerals and a hint of garrigue. Showing the vintage, very ripe, intense and unctuous on the palate. Balanced by good fresh acidity, giving precision. The flavours are dark berries and black liquorice wrapped around an iron and mineral core. There is serious structure, fruit weight and power here. The tannins are ultra-fine grained. Right now it's a little too primary and intense for me to fully assess. At 15% the alcohol is higher than I'd like, but does not seem over-prominent. Give the Superiore 3+ years in the cellar and it may end up matching the quality of the excellent 2008. I would expect the wine to go 10+ years, easily.
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5/24/2015 - henrygjeffreys wrote:
dark spicy nose, dark fruit
Very tannic, big wine
So much power and extract
Huge alcohol too
I found this a bit overblown
£30 M&S
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3/17/2015 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 88 Points
This wine was a real disappointment for me. I've had the previous three vintages which were all special wines, with varying levels of intensity, complexity and spiciness. This wine was flat, one-dimensional and only worth about half the retail price. In absolute terms it is a good wine, well made, but relative to previous vintages and to its price it is a real under-performer.
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3/6/2015 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Loads of blue and dark berries in this one! Nose is ripe, with vanilla and some licorice. Taste is dry, despite 15% alc. and the high acidity makes it surprisingly fresh, well done!!
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11/21/2014 - swapdoc wrote:
Piedmont -- G.D. Vajra Winery Visit: Aromatics of wild berries. Mineral, blend of 2 vineyards, 45-64 yrs old vines, 18m in wood. Long but absolutely approachable now. Good.
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9/1/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote:
G.D. Vajra Winery Visit (G.D. Vajra Winery in Barolo): Appearance is clear, pale intensity, purple colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of sweet red cherries and black cherries, and licorice. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol, medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavor intensity, with flavours of red cherries, black cherries, licorice, and very nicely integrated oak. Long finish.
Very good quality Barbera. Big Barbera from old vines. Will improve over next 3-5 years.
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6/12/2014 - HenrikJ wrote: 90 Points
Fruit-forward and aromatic nose with raspberries, black cherries, new leather, some fresh herbs and sweet licorice. Medium bodied palate with good density, some sweetness, acidity and gentle tannic structure. The finish is medium plus. Very nice wine.
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5/5/2014 - NostraBacchus wrote: 91 Points
Tasted @ Vajra. Made from 2 top vineyards (Bricco delle Viole in Barolo and Bricco Bertone in Sinio). This tastes like the regular Barbera on steroids. Intense nose of flowers, red fruits and dark fruits and some licorice and other spices. On the palate there are also some notes of tobacco and chocolate. Pretty full-bodied with medium tannin and medium+ acidity. Powerful and dense, the 15% alcohol are barely recognizable. I'm not sure if it has the elegance of the last few vintages though.
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