November 12th: Barolo in Contrast: Vajra & Baudana with Isidoro Vajra
At Vinonueva | 5145 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL, 33137 | 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Click HERE to get tickets
In partnership with Winebow
In 2023, we shared an unforgettable evening with Francesca Vajra—and this time, we are excited to host her brother, Isidoro Vajra, the youngest of the Vajra siblings. His connection to the land began in childhood — playing in the vineyards, learning by watching, absorbing the rhythms of nature long before he ever studied it. That early instinct grew over time spent alongside his father Aldo and through formative experiences with agronomist Ruggero Mazzilli, soil scientists Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, the Mullineux family in South Africa, and countless farmers whose wisdom lives not in books but in their hands and in the fields.
Today, Isidoro works closely with Aldo and a dedicated team, overseeing the agricultural heart of both Vajra and Luigi Baudana. His work is thoughtful, curious, and deeply rooted in observation — always aiming to understand the vineyards as living, evolving landscapes.
For this tasting, we wanted to offer more than a producer spotlight — we wanted to explore two voices of Barolo under one family’s care. We’ll be tasting G.D. Vajra and Luigi Baudana.
In 2008, the Vajra family met Luigi and Fiorina Baudana just as they were thinking about retirement. What began as a conversation grew into trust, and rather than simply acquiring vineyards, the Vajras offered to become the guardians of the Baudana legacy. The name, the identity, and the soul of the estate would be carried forward with intention and respect.
What makes this tasting truly unique is the side-by-side comparison: same vintages, two different communes, two different expressions of Nebbiolo — shaped by the same hands.
Photo: The Vajra family
BACKGROUND
About G.D. Vajra
The Vajra family has deep roots in Barolo — tending vines on Bricco delle Viole, the highest cru in the commune, since the 17th century and farming their own parcels there since the late 1800s. But the modern chapter of Vajra begins with Aldo, who at just fifteen years old decided to revive his family’s estate. With quiet determination, he took over in 1968 and began shaping something visionary.
Aldo was an early pioneer of organic farming in Piemonte (1971), long before it was fashionable, and he dedicated himself to preserving native varieties, selecting massale biotypes of Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, championing Freisa when it had nearly disappeared, and even planting Riesling in the 1980s — an uncommon move that reflected Aldo’s curiosity and confidence in the site.
When Aldo and Milena married in 1984, their partnership became the soul of the winery. Today, they are joined by their children Giuseppe, Francesca, and Isidoro, who bring energy, curiosity, and a commitment to carrying the Vajra identity forward. The family continues to focus on vineyard research, high-elevation sites, and sustainable farming — with a return to full organic certification beginning with the 2019 vintage across both Vajra and Luigi Baudana.
Their vineyards sit at altitude, allowing Nebbiolo to ripen slowly and express purity, lift, and detail rather than overt power. Even their Dolcetto and Barbera come from top sites because, to Vajra, every grape deserves the best place to speak from.
In the cellar, everything is done with restraint and respect:
- Hand harvesting in small baskets
- Multiple manual selections of fruit
- Native fermentations for transparency and energy
- Minimal sulfur and no additives
- No herbicides or synthetic pesticides in the vineyards
For Vajra, wine is a reflection of humility, patience, and an authentic sense of place. The work is always collaborative, thoughtful, and deeply personal. G.D. Vajra remains independent, family-owned.
About Luigi Baudana
Luigi Baudana is tucked just north of Serralunga d’Alba. No one in the family ever knew for certain whether the place was named after the Baudanas or the Baudanas after the place — the connection runs that deep. Luigi Baudana grew up here, the son of farmers, and after losing his father at a young age, he trained as a blacksmith. It was Fiorina, his wife, who encouraged him to believe in the land they had, and together they decided to stop selling grapes to the cooperatives and instead bottle wines under their own name.
In 2008, as Luigi and Fiorina were quietly considering retirement, they met the Vajra family. What began with a discreet evening conversation across the Tanaro River turned into months of shared time — walking vineyards, tasting from barrels, listening, and understanding each other’s values. Out of that trust came a rare agreement: rather than purchasing the estate outright, the Vajras would become guardians of the Baudana legacy.
And so today, the historic Baudana cellar continues to operate — a true garagiste production, one of the smallest and most limited Barolo productions in the region, capturing the austere, deep, and sculpted character of Serralunga d’Alba.
Check out the lineup for this tasting:
G.D. Vajra
- G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 'Claré J.C.' 2024
- G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2021
- G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2021
- G.D. Vajra Barolo Ravera 2021
Luigi Baudana
- Luigi Baudana Barolo Baudana 2021
- Luigi Baudana Barolo Cerretta 2021
- Luigi Baudana Barolo Comune Serralunga Cerretta 2021 - TBC
Photo & video credits: G.D. Vajra