The true beauty of Albe is the caress of the sun that rises three times every morning over our vineyards. It is nature’s unique simplicity that makes the awakening of life an everyday miracle.
Milena Vaira
DESCRIPTION: Albe is our tribute to traditional Barolo and its ‘Maestri’.
This is a mix of high-altitude vineyards where we see three beautiful sunrises every day – or Albe.
2020 Albe is already expressive, with layers of red fruit and a generous, textured mouthfeel.
RANGE: 100% Nebbiolo.
VINEYARD AND TERROIR: Albe is a blend of Barolo DOCG vineyards with exposures ranging from South-South-East to South-West, at high altitude between 380 and 480m above sea level.
GROWING: In 1971, Aldo Vajra, then still a university student, was one of the earliest to adopt organic farming in Piedmont.
Vineyards have been tended and the soil preserved by grass and spontaneous cover crops for almost 50 years now. They are sustainable and organically certified. With an incredible ratio of manual work per hectare, farming in Vajra is a labor of love and “recipe-free” attention. Intense research is also placed in monitoring and improving the biodiversity of both flora and fauna, not only in the vineyards, but also in the vineyards and forests.
VINTAGE: 2020 is a truly remarkable vintage and one of the longest of the decade. It started with an expected bud break and subsided through the spring and summer, resulting in a late harvest.
An abundant flowering from May 12 set the stage for wines dominated by perfume, air and red tones. Numerous rainfalls well into July resulted in a less regular fruit set, much more work in the vineyards, but also milder temperatures, leading to an estimated vegetative cycle of 213 days.
Great aromatics, varietal integrity and beautiful tannins are the signatures of 2020.
HARVEST AND WINE SHIPMENT: In 2020, the fruit for our Barolo Albe was picked between October 1 and 14. Grapes were sorted manually three times: directly on the vine, as whole bunches on the sorting tables and finally as individual berries after destemming.
The vinification was carried out in specially designed vertical tini, with gentle punch down and pump-overs. We had a variety of maceration lengths, from 27 up to 57 days (the latter case under submerged hood). Spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel during the following spring.
AGEING: 26 months in large Slavic oak barrels of 40, 50 and 75 hectoliters. Bottling on 10 July 2023.
TASTING NOTES: 2020 Barolo Albe shows an expressive nose with aromas of fresh cherries, crushed stones and roses. The mouthfeel is light and energetic, with a generous mouthfeel and a youthful tannic structure enriched with notes of raspberry and orange peel. Long, textured finish.
94 POINTS
Robert Parker
This is certainly one of the most popular and versatile wines made in Italy, and deservedly so. The well-priced G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Albe shows some ripe fruit and softness with cherry, dried raspberry and crushed rose. This vintage is similar in character to the 2016 release in that both vintages offer a linear style with good structure at the back. The mouthfeel is polished and long, affording accessibility and complexity too.
94 POINTS
YourWineGuide
The nose offers animal nuances, cranberries, violets, balsamic, cigar box, tobacco and cherries. The taste has a cleansing acidity which is well coordinated with the tannins and a good complex intensity which is expressed in cherry, cigar box, cranberry and blackcurrant.
93 POINTS
James Suckling
A powerful and polished red wine with berries and spices like nutmeg and pepper. Also orange peel. Medium body. Fresh and energetic finish.
91 POINTS
Vinous
The 2019 Barolo Albe is a nuanced, understated wine, but also a rare Albe that needs time in bottle. Sweet floral and spicy notes open first, leading to an attractive core of Nebbiolo fruit. Gentle and restrained, with beautiful precision, the 2019 Albe is a quiet wine that is more about energy than grandeur. You have seen the Albe really blossom with a few years in bottle. I expect that to be the case with this wine as well, as it is very classic.
