The Wine Related Ramblings - G.D Vajra
Derek Hamilton reviews the wonderful G.D Vajra, Barbera D’Alba available to buy now online or at Provender Brown in Perth City Centre.
Derek Hamilton reviews the wonderful G.D Vajra, Barbera D’Alba available to buy now online or at Provender Brown in Perth City Centre.
Date: Spring 2018
Name: G.D Vajra
Varietal: Barbera
Region: Barbera D’Alba, Italia
Vintage: 2015
Price: £14.99
Sadly my wine sampling hobby has been slightly curtailed this year by a minor operation, which went swimmingly, but now back leaner, meaner and fitter than ever, we can open this offering and see where the night takes us. It will be indoors in fairness, with a freakish snow storm forecast, ominously tagged “The Beast from The East”, but fear not – I’ll find some entertainment here.
I’ve mistakenly come over all semi patriotic and considering this is the work of some fine lady by the name of Barbera’s ode to the Gaelic Kingdom of Scotland, those feelings of national fervour are quickly doused by the reality that the Italians, when they get snow, they embrace it and take to the slopes, or get some sun and embrace that too, by growing some fine grapes and producing this lovely product – and damn lovely it is too.
Given the blurb at the back seems to suggest that the grapes are sourced from very old soils and it is harvested by hand, I truly have no idea if that makes any difference, but I do like the ruby red appearance here – very appealing. It also continues that this is to express the purity of wild berries, graphite, hay and hints of spices, which broadly suggests that I may be able to scribe this review via transforming my fingertips into a pencil? The hay is also curious, but if it tastes like this, no wonder the horses out there have a ball – we humans have been missing a trick for ages!
The nose is sharp, the taste is sharper and they marry beautifully, for me, one of those wines that look, feel, smell and taste as they should. Keeps to that wild berry claim with ease and just sits well with me. 14% incidentally, is a pretty hellish statistic if you are into your Curling, however on the back of this bottle, it brings a bit of a wow factor and an indication to keep this one on a low heat throughout the night.
So, close your eyes here, sit back and think of Lake Como, the Colosseum, the Amalfi Coast, the Serie A, Ferrari’s and Bugatti’s and take yourself away to another land for a short while, before thudding back down to earth with the whistling wind and driving rain of this northern European country, which has its own charms I suppose.
Anyway, back to today, perhaps I had a rose tinted view on life as a child, but I certainly didn’t remember buying the Easter Egg’s in a blizzard, but since the sky has turned a deeper shade of black outside, I fully expect the next egg hunt to be conducted in ski suit, goggles and with a huge amount of salt… Which brings us on to the Winter Olympics – it’s finished and if you are shedding tears of joy at least until it returns, or bemoan the fact it’s gone for another 4 years, you can console yourself with this friendly bottle without fear of growing bored until such times as it comes back – maybe this storm is encouraging the training programme? For now, though… Ciao!
Derek Hamilton, The Wine Related Ramblings
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