G.D. Vajra, Langhe, Petracine Riesling

Still going strong, aged very well.

Vajra & Baudana Barolo Dinner (Ai Fiori (Langham Hotel on 5th Ave)) : Acidity is much more prevalent than in the 2016. There's a touch of petrol. Less fruit than the younger wine. Maybe a caramel notes. The acidity makes it comes across as even a bit lighter though.

Medium light golden. Nose: Initially a bit muted; some lemon and minerals. Taste & palate: Quite a bit of acidity, loosing fruit, some "fat". Gradually some stone fruit coming out and after intense airing some tropical fruit show up too. A bit hollow in the mid palate and very short aftertaste. The wine appears to be past it's prime. It's drinkable but not very exiting. However for the 2008 NOK 215 purchase price I doubt that this was ever a …

An Eclectic Bring Your Own Red Night (Los Olivos, CA) : An effervescent, citrus nose (lime, I'd say) gives way to a clean, off-dry palate featuring floral notes, white peaches, almonds and minerality. Great balance, through to the lengthy finish. More Alsatian than German for sure, but somehow uniquely Italian.

This is my last one, so I'll never know if this is in a slightly dumb phase... feels a little subdued compared to the last one and I'm not so confident about my 20+ prediction. That said, this is still an amazing expression of Barolo terroir and utterly unique -- and exceptional -- as a Riesling.

Brought to the rabbit dinner at Blackfish-Conshohocken. Nose very minerally showing the reisling. The palate is more sauvignon blanc, with bracing acidity and green apple. Changes dramatically in the glass as it warms and reveals more round fruit and more chalky texture. Very interesting wine.

Tough crowd. Given CT score inflation, I think the Vajra is getting a bad deal. This is austere, mineral, structured (I don't understand "fat"). Serious site-specific Riesling. It does need time. And I'm guessing it could go for 20+ years. I don't know that this is welcoming, and it's definitely not warm and lovable. But its serious like a heart attack. A uniquely piemontese heart attack. Top marks for terroir.

Will possibly improve with some cellaring.

granny smith apples, florals. Simple, mineral and apple notes. Too fat, not what i look for in riesling.

Fresh apples and a hint of lime and lychee on the fairly closed but enjoyable nose. Ripe white fruit and good but not searing acidity on the fairly broad palate. Very balanced, but not very complex. Quite tasty white, but blind I would not have guessed this to be a Riesling (one of the few in Piedmont). Do not drink this too cold!

Old note, quick taste @ producer. Difficult to guess Riesling on the nose - floral with white peaches. Very mineral, rather light despite 14% alc., not bad acidity (a bit lower than I'd hope), apples and lemon peel, quite long. An interesting surprise, never heard of Piemontese riesling.