G.D. Vajra, Langhe Nebbiolo, 2024

All roads lead to Vajra. This beloved family estate farms the highest, coolest reaches of the Barolo commune around the hamlet of Vergne, and their Langhe Nebbiolo is your ticket into the grape without waiting a decade for it to open. Grown high in Barolo's far west and aged in neutral oak, it's tar and roses in miniature: fresh, floral, and perfumed, with raspberry fruit and a savory, earthy finish. It's immediately delicious without giving up any of the qualities that make Nebbiolo one of the world's great grapes. Pound for pound, one of the smartest ways to drink Piedmont.