Winemaker Notes
Coste&Fossati is a collection of antique Dolcetto biotypes grouped by Aldo Vajra between 1979 and 1985. Cuttings were grafted in two of the estate best Barolo vineyards, Coste di Vergne and Fossati. These plants with a 'red stalk' create a limited production of the most intense and noble Dolcetto. This is a reservoir as it cannot be found elsewhere in modern days.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine is all about fun and good cheer. "Every day that you drink Dolcetto is a good day," says Isidoro Vaira. The organic 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba Coste & Fossati reveals rich, dark fruit with a pronounced sweet side. There is soft cherry, blackberry and crème de cassis. The wine is quite plump and juicy in character, setting it up for pairing with wood-oven pizza.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A youthful ruby/magenta color, the 2022 Dolcetto D'Alba Coste & Fossati brings forward a ripe nose with a savory umami nature, notes of candied purple flowers, red plums, and red berries, and a hint of mocha. Medium-bodied and delicately rounded, this Dolcetto shows off a more Barbera-like sense and is approachable and even throughout the vintage. Drink over the next several years.
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Vinous
The 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba Coste & Fossati is a powerful, deep wine. Black cherry, plum, leather, grilled herbs, gravel, lavender and spice lend notable complexity. Imposing tannins and rich fruit give this a very serious feel. The 2022 is a wine for the dinner table.
The Vajra family has farmed Bricco delle Viole, the highest cru in Comune di Barolo, since the 1880s. At the young age of fifteen, Aldo Vajra embraced the dream to revive his family legacy. Displaying a vision and commitment belying his young age he took over the estate in 1968, turning a new page.
Aldo soon acquired the first organic certification of the region (1971), created private biotype selections (selezioni massali) of Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, pioneered the renaissance of Freisa, a noble yet forgotten local grape (1980) and the cultivation of Rhine Riesling in Piemonte (1985).
Today, the Vajra family continues the vineyard research focusing on the influence of soil and climate change. The winery is trail-blazing the rediscovery of Chiaretto di Nebbiolo and the wines of the 17th century – long before Barolo was created - through two limited-production wines: "N.S. della Neve" (a champagne-method rosé brut) and "Claré J.C.", a partial whole-cluster fermentation of pure Nebbiolo.
High elevation vineyards are a unique factor to the Vajra wines, for their ability to express finesse and remarkable complexity over power.
Attention to details and humility towards the nature, uncompromised efforts and humanity: so are Aldo and Milena, now joined by their energetic children Giuseppe, Francesca and Isidoro, and by an amazing team of young professionals, in their quest for an authentic expression of their land into the wines. G.D. Vajra is an independent winery, entirely family-owned.
The winery quality focus grows during the years, SNQPI (2016) and Equalitas (2022) joined their certifications pack, the research on the flora and fauna, the improvement of biodiversity and the preservation of the old vines are a part of their everyday life and the future goal. G.D. Vajra is an independent winery, entirely family-owned.
An easy drinking red with soft fruity flavors—but catchy tannins, Dolcetto is often enjoyed in its native Piedmont on a casual weekday night, or for apertivo (the canonical Piedmontese pre-dinner appetizer hour). Somm Secret—In most of Piedmont, easy-ripening Dolcetto is relegated to the secondary sites—the best of which are reserved for the king variety: Nebbiolo. However, in the Dogliani zone it is the star of the show, and makes a more serious style of Dolcetto, many of which can improve with cellar time.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.