Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2018

'Bricco delle Viole' means “vineyards of the violet.” It is one of most famous Barolo crus, where these septuagenarian vines produce wines with delicate and aromatic fruit character, full of cherries, dark berries, violets and dried roses. This bottling from Vajra is an excellent example of the region. 

95/100 - The 2018 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is not super intense, but it is balanced in its own way. The wine is subdued but complete with softly yielding tannins to support an elegantly streamlined mouthfeel. Bricco delle Viole is a high and cool growing site in Barolo at 400 to 480 meters in elevation with characteristic Sant'Agata marl soils with fossils. The wine represents a selection of fruit from over seven hectares. With fermentation in steel tank and aging in large Slavonian oak, you are invited to a silky, lifted and beautifully delicate experience with an accessible personality. - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate

93/100 - The 2018 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is finely cut and chiseled, as it so often is. Dried flowers, mint, crushed rocks, pine and red berry fruit all grace this taut, sculpted Barolo. The 2018 has all of the energy of this site, but its signatures are decidedly dialed down. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous 

17.5/20 - First day: Just mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Concentrated and subtle at the same time with brooding concentration and beautiful depth. Bags of chewy tannins that make their mark on the still-embryonic fruit on the palate. Long, elegant, fresh and still to open up further. Second day: At first a little subdued but then opens up with aeration. Sweetly concentrated red fruit with a cool-climate edge. Fine and concentrated at the same time. Much more backward on the palate with a thick layer of firm yet polished tannins. Elegant filigree fruit on the finish. Definitely needs more time. - Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com

95/100 - The nervy style of Bricco delle Viole is excited by the lightness of the 2018 vintage. The nose is dominated by leafy lightness and vibrant aromas ranging from cherry kernel to lemon leaf. It could seem to have low complexity but its focused on a sort of austere freshness that's worth discovering. The firm palate with quite aggressive acidity and almost sturdy youth is allied to great fruit concentration. The savoury finish is loaded with dust and chalk. Needs time. - Aldo Fiordelli, Decanter

93/100 - Intense, flavorful Barolo that shows some good, nutty red-fruit character and fine, firm tannin. Medium-bodied and very tight. Needs time to even out. Try from 2024. - James Suckling