2016 G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso

The WINEFRONT

• By Gary Walsh
  11/28/2018, (See more on The WINEFRONT...)

  (G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso) Login and subscribe to see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Italian Stars Align, 8/23/2018

  (G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso) Hello friends. We’ve been singing the praises of Piemontese producer G.D. Vajra for some time now. From entry level red blends to mighty, full-fledged Barolos, Vajra’s wines offer tremendous quality at approachable pricing. Today, we have an extremely rare treat—the ability to offer the winery’s Langhe Rosso, a list mainstay and a wine we have frequently referred to as the gateway drug to the Vajra lineup, alongside two of the winery’s Piemontese single varieties. This is a rare treat because these wines can be super challenging to time up for an offer. The Dolcetto and Barbera never arrive to our corner of the world in huge quantities, and the Langhe Rosso is incredibly popular in our market. What usually happens is this: the Langhe Rosso arrives and we have first dibs, but the Dolcetto is long-gone. We wait for a new shipment of Dolcetto, but by the time it arrives, the Barbera is sold out. Finally, there’s enough Barbera, but the Langhe Rosso has changed vintages. And so on and so forth—until the stars finally align. Today is one of those rare instances where the stars are in our favor and we have access to all three at the same time. So, please order accordingly; this will be a one-and-done offer, and it could be a while before it happens again.Langhe Rosso is a category full of gems, if you can pry them away from their home in the Italian countryside. Vinified unfussily and well-loved by the locals for their food-friendly rusticity, early-drinking character, and easy-on-the-wallet price—if you made this wine, you’d probably keep it all to drink, too. Langhe Rosso allows the winemakers to explore their homeland through blending wine. As Giuseppe Vajra, the founder of the estate, put it, “Our Langhe Rosso is a hug from Piedmont. It’s an invitation to explore its different varieties and to get to know its personality.” Drinking somewhere between a rustic Pinot Noir and full-throttle Nebbiolo, this Langhe Rosso predominantly features Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto, with smaller quantities of Freisa, Albarossa, and Pinot Noir. These grapes work together to create a complex Italian wine that is surprisingly easy to drink and practically made to be paired with food. This year, Vajra’s Rosso has a truly wild character—drinking more like a Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte. These wines are known for their intense fragrance, vibrant minerality and acidity, and firm, refined tannins. From the get-go, it’s bright and inviting. On the nose, intense rose petals, dark earth, and chalk-like minerality come through with succulent fruit qualities of cherries and currants to balance. The palate is lively, featuring bright, acidic berry fruit with touches of graphite and wood that add complexity and roundness to a 13.5% frame. The finish is dry with rustic, food-friendly tannins. You could drink this bottle with a whole host of delicious foods—grilled pizza with sausage and Mama Lil's peppers, epic charcuterie boards, roasted racks of lamb with herbs. However, I think the ultimate food pairing for this bottles comes from Piedmont itself: a hearty bowl of Tajarin. Tajarin is an egg-based fresh pasta made with mostly egg yolks, cut ultra thin, and finished with butter, sage, and parmesan cheese. Think the grown-up version of butter noodles—that you get to eat with wine!