The 2022 G.D. Vajra "Ravera" Barolo is an exceptionally chiseled, highly academic expression of this benchmark Novello cru. In a structurally demanding and dry vintage, the Vajra family’s parcels—rooted in the complex, iron-rich tortoiseshell marls and sandstones of Ravera—demonstrated why this high-altitude, breezy site has become an invaluable asset in the face of shifting climates. To preserve the wine’s raw, nervous tension, the family reduced the extraction slightly and dialled back the wood aging, allowing the vineyard's cool alpine personality to claim center stage. In the glass, it pours a bright, completely translucent medium-red. The nose is incredibly high-toned, intellectual, and slow to yield, requiring patience before unleashing a precise aromatic beam of fresh sour cherries, graphite, and blood orange rind. This primary fruit is tightly woven into classic Ravera markers: dried hibiscus flowers, white pepper, camphor, and a stark, highly savory layer of crushed stone and iron dust.