Vajra, Barolo, Ravera 2012 6x75cl

96 Points, Antonio Galloni, 2020-2037 Vinous One of the real knock-out wines of the vintage. Vajra's 2012 Barolo Ravera possesses striking aromatics, vivid, finely sculpted fruit and exceptional balance. Dark red and purplish-hued fruits, lavender, rose petal, mint and hard candy are pushed forward in a sweet, impeccable Barolo that satisfies all the senses. Deep, exquisitely layered and powerful, the 2012 Ravera is shaping up to be a real gem. This is a Barolo to revel in. Next to the Bricco Viole, the Ravera has a bit more mid-palate creaminess and overall depth.Review Date: 01 Mar 16

The wines of G.D. Vajra easily rank among the most exciting in Barolo, and our visits to the estate are always a highlight of our travels to the region. G.D. Vajra is a family affair, run by Aldo Vaira, his wife Milena, and children Giuseppe, Francesca and Isidoro. There is an energetic mood of innovation at the estate, as well as a contagious enthusiasm exhibited by all the family members. What impresses most at Vajra is the unerring, consistently high quality that they achieve across a broad range of wines irrespective of vintage. As one of the region’s earlier adopters of organic viticulture, the Vaira family manage their vineyards attentively and take a traditional approach to winemaking with the aim of achieving purity of fruit. Over the years, they have gradually increased the area under vine to 60 hectares, 10 of which are Nebbiolo destined for Barolo set in some of the finest vineyards in the region, such as Bricco delle Viole and Ravera. In addition to their Vajra holdings, the Vaira family also took over management of the Luigi Baudana estate in Serralunga d’Alba in 2009. Three Barolo are produced here, a village Barolo and two cru. The name Baudana is shared by the family who founded the estate, the Cru itself, and the tiny hamlet on top of the hill where it is based. In fact, the Baudana family have been based in this area for so long that they do not have records of when the family first settled, nor how the name of the family was passed on to the cru. The Baudana wines are vinified in Serralunga, before being transferred to Vajra’s state of the art winery in Barolo for their élevage.