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GD Vajra ‘Albe’ Barolo

Our tribute to the Masters of tradition, Albe is the blend of high-elevation Barolo vineyards. As these blocks lay on various slopes with different exposures, we have the chance to see three sunrises (Albe) every day.  2017 is a radiant vintage with beautiful early balance and yet great potential of improvement over time. The 2017 Barolos are profound and characterized by a core of red fruits, acid spine and refined tannins that set the wines for the long haul. In Europe, this was recorded as the lowest yielding vintage since 1947, due to a combination of spring frost and summer droughts. The outcome is surprising, due to the combination of limited intake of potassium in the fruit and cool nights throughout the season, with an almost perfect September. After a mild winter with little snow and an anticipated vegetative development, temperatures brutally dropped between April 19th and 21st, with frost across Europe that luckily spared our vineyards. Starting in May, the weather turned stable. Days were hot but the nights cooler than in 2003 and 2011. The strong diurnal drop of temperature preserved the vines from water stress, despite little or no rainfalls. By early September, night temperatures dropped even further, enhancing phenolic ripening while slowing down sugar accumulation. Average time between bud break and ripening was 185 days. According to the Consorzio Langhe, ‘hot’ vintages last 170 days and ‘late’ vintages 200 days.

Size: 750mL ABV 14.5%

Suggested food pairings: Cured Meats, Lamb, Duck, Beef

Suggested cheese pairings: Brie, Gruyere, Havarti, Mozzarella, Ricotta

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