GD Vajra & Luigi Baudana Barolo Museum Offer

Baudana's 2011 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba is a dark, powerful wine. Tobacco, smoke, leather, herbs and game all open up in the glass. Intense and burly in the glass, the 2011 is a bit rough around the edges, although it certainly is not lacking in personality. There is plenty of Serralunga along with vintage 2011 intensity. Today, the straight Barolo is quite a bit more interesting than the two vineyard designates.

2012 The 2012 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba is dark, powerful and also quite rustic, with huge tannins to match its earthy profile. Tobacco, scorched earth, herbs and licorice are some of the notes that are pushed forward, while the fruit lies more in the background. It will be interesting to see if this burly Barolo finds a bit more finesse with further time in bottle. Today, that does not appear especially likely. Still, there is plenty of Serralunga character in the glass, that much is clear. Hints of lavender, sage and mint add the closing shades of nuance.

2015 The 2015 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba is a blend of mostly younger vine fruit from Cerretta and Baudana. Deep and expressive in the glass, the 2015 is a fabulous wine in its peer group. Smoke, tar, dark red fruit, iron and wild herbs add striking nuance to a Barolo that shows all the muscle and power of Serralunga while retaining a mid-weight feel. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years. The combination of beguiling aromatics, supple fruit and good supporting structure makes for a compelling, delicious Barolo.

2012 The 2012 Barolo Cerretta is richer, deeper and darker than the Baudana. Black cherry, smoke, licorice and dark spices open up first, followed by scents of sage, rosemary and mint that add complexity. In 2012, the Cerretta is more about brawn than finesse. Layers of fruit fill out the wine's ample frame nicely, but above all else, the Cerretta is distinguished for its raw, almost animal, power. This is far from an easygoing 2012 Barolo.

Gravitas and pure power are the signatures of the 2014 Barolo Cerretta. The black cherry, plum, lavender, sage and menthol notes add to an impression of dark, brooding intensity to go with the wine's vertical sense of structure. This tannic, massive Barolo is likely to require a number of years in bottle to become approachable.

2010 The 2010 Barolo Baudana bursts from the glass with tons of energy and intensity. Black cherries, smoke, wild herbs, licorice and tar form a compelling backdrop of aromas, flavors and textures as this dazzling, explosive Barolo opens up in the glass. The huge, searing tannins are going to require time to settle, so readers need to be patient. This is a classic Serralunga Barolo built on power and structure. Hints of rose petal lavender and crushed rocks add nuance on the finish.

2012 Sweet red cherry, iron, smoke, tobacco and white pepper are some of the signatures in the 2012 Barolo Baudana. This is another intense, searing Barolo that is going to need time. Today, the tannins are pretty much overpowering, but there is good depth of fruit lurking beneath. The Baudana is the more delicate of the two single-vineyard Barolos, in relative terms, given that both are very clearly Serralunga wines. If opened young, the 2012 needs quite a bit of air.

2013 The 2013 Barolo Baudana opens with striking, beguiling aromatics. Deep, pliant and sensual on the palate, the 2013 exudes fruit intensity to the point the tannins are nearly buried. Intense savory and mineral notes provide an underpinning of virile intensity that builds into the super-expressive finish. The Baudana is a bit creamier and deeper in texture than the Cerretta.

2013 Tasting some 2013 from Serralunga, next to Barolo, next to La Morra, you certainly quickly get to grips (as it were) with the difference in weight and power between communes.

Spicy and more ‘savoury’ than the Cerretta, with cherry, raspberry, new leather, and dried herb perfume. Medium to full bodied, more of that new leather and red meat expression in flavour, but with ample fruit, a gentle graininess to the tannin that causes some pleasing friction, iron and dried herb perfume (again) on the long firm finish. This is very good, a little more bony and less fleshy than Cerretta, but likely to show its true colours with appropriate bottle age. Terrific.

2015 The 2015 Barolo Baudana is powerful, ample and deep, with tons of brightness to play off the sweet red cherry and pomegranate fruit. Already quite expressive, the 2015 appears to have a very bright future. Even today, its balance is simply impeccable. Within the context of the year, the 2015 Baudana is one of the most polished refined wines readers will taste.

The 2015 Barolo Albe is a soft, open-knit wine that will drink well upon release. Bright and lifted, with plenty of red cherry fruit and floral notes, the Albe captures the essence of the Vajra house style nicely. This is a terrific entry-level Barolo, not to mention one of the finest values in Piedmont.

Vajra's 2011 Barolo Ravera has begun to flesh out and put on weight in bottle. Today the flavors are darker and broader than they have been in the past, yet there is also a gorgeous sense of aromatic lift and plenty of Ravera tannin to shape the wine's structural framework. I also sense a bit of power that appears to be held back in reserve. I would not at all be surprised to see the 2011 improve from here.

2012 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.

1996 Vajra's 1996 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is a real stunner. Freshly cut flowers of all kinds make a strong first impression. Bright and finely cut, the 1996 possesses striking freshness and nuance. The tannins have softened nicely to the point the 1996 is a real joy to taste and drink today. Barolos from Bricco delle Viole are never big or overt wines. The 1996 vintage has further brought out the site's nervous personality. The 1996 won't last forever, but it will drink very well for another 5-10 years, perhaps more. This is a fabulous example of the year.

1999 Medium ruby. This exquisite Barolo opens with a deeply expressive nose of flowers, spices, menthol and licorice followed by superbly delineated layers of fruit on a medium-bodied frame of notable length. Aldo Vajra's Bricco delle Viole is one of the gems of this unheralded vintage. Like Vajra himself, this Barolo is understated, elegant and refined. It will require another year or two in the cellar after which it will drink well for at least another decade.

2009 The 2009 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is simply exceptional. Sweet, seductive and layered, the 2009 graces the palate with exquisite beauty. Hard candy, cherries, cinnamon, wild flowers and mint are some of the nuances that meld together in the glass. Bricco delle Viole can be a bit compact in its youth, but the 2009 has a little more immediacy and mid-palate pliancy than is typically the case. That just makes it absolutely delicious today. What a gorgeous wine this is.

2012 - The 2012 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is pure class. A decidedly sensual, inviting Bricco delle Viole, the 2012 fleshes out in the glass with an effortless, inviting personality that is impossible to resist. Deep red cherry and plum notes open up first, followed by the classic floral notes that are so typical of this site. In 2012, the Bricco delle Viole is quite forward and fruit-driven, with essentially none of the angular contours that are typical when the wine is young. All of that means the 2012 will deliver immense pleasure pretty much upon release. There is so much to like here. The only real question is whether the 2012 will shut down in bottle or not. This is another addictively delicious Barolo from the Vajra family.

2014 - The 2014 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is positively stunning. There are many things about this wine that are super-impressive, but what stands out most is how soft and silky the tannins are. Because of that, the 2014 is much more approachable than it usually is, and yet also conveys the feeling of translucence that is such a signature of this site and wine. I am not sure I have ever tasted a young Bricco delle Viole with this much purity of fruit. The 2014 is total class. Don't miss it.

The 2015 Barolo Coste di Rose is pretty and also easygoing, with elegant floral top notes and sweet red berry fruit that are nicely pushed forward. Soft, open-knit and inviting, the 2015 offers a good bit of persistence and freshness. I would prefer to drink it over the next decade or so, given its mid-weight structure.