Vajra Langhe Rosso 2007

Picked this wine up at Elvino wines, which is a newish shop on Abbot Kinney in Venice. They've got a really nice selection--some interesting stuff--and also have tastings every weekend. Worth checking out, especially if you live near Venice. I initially heard about Vajra from Do Bianchi, and I think Brooklyn Wine Guy also. So I saw this, thought it might be interesting, and picked up a bottle. Not really cheap for Langhe Rosso, at around 30$, because you can get decent Barolo for the same price. I've had a lot of Langhe Rosso mainly in the 20$ range.

Sarah and I decided to have an Italian distraction for whatever reason--I got a coupon for 30% off takeout at Mozza2go, so we decided to watch "La Dolce Vita," drink some Italian wine, and eat some Mozza (panino with mole salami, spicy peppers, scamorza cheese, pizza margherita, and a farro salad). They were out of porchetta, which almost made me cry. Oh well. Better luck next time.

The nose sort of screams "nebbiolo!" on this wine: cherries, strawberries, licorice, some tar, leather, and roses. Tannic, but eventually opens up a fair amount to reveal ripe fruit flavors that are framed by softened, but still present tannins. I have no doubt that this wine will keep for a few years. Finish is flecked with mineral and rose nuances. I would say this wine tasted a little muddled to me--meaning that it never really came around and hit me between the eyes to give me a really good sense of it. The whole time I was drinking it, I kind of felt like I was grasping for straws. The wine is good, I just think that perhaps it needs a longer decant or more time in bottle to really come together. And also, this is a Langhe Rosso--not a Barolo, so perhaps I should expect it to act this way. I don't think anyone puts their best shit in their Langhe Rosso...B