Aldo Vaira took control of the family vineyards in 1968, when he was just 15 years old. Today, G.D. Vajra is one of the Piedmont region’s most recognized estates and comprises 150 acres, mostly around the commune of Barolo. A standout Barolo that consistently delivers one of the greatest values to be found in Italian wine. The well-priced 2021 has been hailed as an excellent vintage that created remarkable wines. All the grapes had an abundance of acidity and good phenolics, and a shortage of nitrogen in the fruit allowed for some of the longest and most gentle fermentations in recent years. This wine is garnet red in colour, with crushed floral notes on the nose. The palate is vibrant, displaying notes of rose petals, fresh strawberries and raspberry, tobacco, and orange peel. The long finish is complemented by smooth, velvet tannins. This really is the top of the category in that sense.   Sourced from parcels ranging from 1,250 to 1,585 feet in elevation, with straightforward winemaking (fermentation is in steel) the various lots macerated for one to three months, then aged 26 months in 4,000-, 5,000- and 7,500-liter Slavonian oak casks. Albe is Piedmontese dialect for sunrise - the three vineyards in this blend see the sun rise from 3 different places every morning.