Piedmont is the home of the Nebbiolo grape, which famously stars in the fabled wines
of Barolo and Barbaresco. For much more affordable expressions of the variety, and
wines that are approachable in their youth, drinkers should look to the Langhe hills
and bottles such as this from G.D. Vajra. This wine serves a fruit-forward expression
of Nebbiolo, with concentrated sour cherry notes that are pleasurably disrupted by
a vibrant acidity on the palate. The acidity stops the wine’s heavy fruit character
from overwhelming the palate, while a rigid but approachable tannic structure holds
everything together. The beauty of this wine is its youth, and for this price, you can
afford to serve it on the midweek dinner table.
