GD Vajra is a truly unique family estate with a history as interesting as the wines they produce. Located in Vergne, the highest village in Barolo, it sits among the vineyards at an altitude of 400 metres. Currently, the family tends all forty hectares including the outstanding Bricco delle Viole, one of the highest crus in Barolo.

Run by second generation winemakers Giuseppe, Isidoro and Francesca Vaira, the estate is overseen by their parents, Aldo and Milena. The winery’s history stretches back further still and is named after Giuseppe Domenico, Aldo's father. Aldo founded the estate in 1972, using vineyards that had been in the family since the 1920s.

Meeting with Milena and Isidoro and discussing the family’s rich heritage on our recent visit, we came to understand how special this winery is. The estate was one of the first in the region to embrace organic practices and the winery continues to be on the forefront of sustainable winemaking in Barolo. In their own words, ‘the land is generous and alive. It is beautiful. It needs understanding and time.’

Interesting note: Vajra vs. Vaira: The family name was Vajra until 1918 but with the letter J being eliminated from Italian language except for foreign words, it was changed to Vaira. When the winery was founded, the name should have been Vaira but due to a mistake, it became Vajra. The family decided to keep the winery name with a J for its wines given the family history with that spelling, but for members of the family, it is spelled Vaira.

http://www.gdvajra.it/it/homepage