2020 Vajra Freisa "Kye"

To my mind Vajra is one of the greatest producers in Piedmont creating soulful wines year in and year out. Based in the village of Barolo, Vajra has been chaired by Aldo Vajra since 1968 when he took over the family property at the age of 15. He has maintained a remarkable balancing act between tradition and innovation that I greatly admire. The farm has been certified organic since 1971 (the first in the region) and has always worked in a traditional style: Long macerations with extended aging in big, neutral Slavonian botti.  G.D. Vajra Baroli simultaneously long lived and open knit most years and frankly are quite delicious.

The Freisa grape variety is a direct relative of Nebbiolo, generally thought to be the offspring of Nebbiolo and an unknown grape. Like Nebbiolo it has pronounced tannin and acidity but tends to be more brambly and dark fruited. While Freisa is often made into a juicy or even sparkling style, Aldo Vajra makes some of the most serious Freisa in Piedmont treating it in a similar manner to his Barolo.  The grapes are sourced from the Bricco delle Viole vineyard in Barolo, a plot planted in 1980 and farmed organically since day 1. Grapes are hand-harvested, rigourously sorted 3 times, fermented in stainless steel with a 25 day maceration and aged primarily in Botti for 9 months. This is a dark, lush red wine with some tacky tannin that effortlessly maintains freshness. This is a wine for rich foods: Mushrooms, braised meats, hearty cheese, or ragu style pastas. - Andy Paynter