I am fascinated by Ravera’s irrepressible personality. It’s crisp like the sound of a Telecaster, straight and electric.
Giuseppe Vaira
DESCRIPTION: Ravera is recognized as the most important single vineyard in the Comune di Novello. It grows on a very complex subsoil, where marl of Tortonian origin is mixed with sandstone and clay from the Serravalle period.
Our parcels are located in the southern amphitheater, between 320 and 340 meters above sea level.
RANGE: 100% Nebbiolo.
VINEYARD AND TERROIR: Ravera (Novello).
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 labor 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 bloom from May 12 set the stage for perfume-, air- and red-toned-dominated wines. 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, Ravera was harvested over two days, 5 and 6 October. Grapes were sorted manually three times: directly on the vine, as whole bunches on the sorting tables and finally as individual berries. Vinification was carried out in vertical tini, with gentle decanting and cap rinsing, and lasted 55 days, including a submerged cap maceration. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place the following spring.
AGEING: 28 months in large Slavic casks of 25 and 50 hectoliters.
Bottled on July 11, 2023.
TASTING NOTES: Brilliant ruby red colour. The nose of the 2020 Barolo Ravera reveals red orange peel, dried flowers, kirsch and menthol notes.
The wine is deep and complex, with the characteristic juiciness of the site and enormous aging potential.
