The G.D. Vajra estate is found in Vergne, the highest village of Barolo in north-west Italy, where the vineyards sit at an altitude of up to 400 metres. The estate is named after Giuseppe Domenico Vajra, who founded the estate in 1972, using vineyards that had been in the family since the 1920s. The estate is now run by his Giuseppe's son Aldo who, with the help of his wife Milena and their children, tends all 40 hectares of vines. The elevated growing conditions here mean that grapes ripen later than in nearby vineyards, but possess an innate elegance as a result. The dry micro climate also results in relatively small yields helping to ensure grapes of excellent quality. A traditionalist, Aldo adheres to old-style winemaking methods, such as long ageing in barrel for his Barolo, but combines this with new techniques, such as a judicious use of oak, to produce superbly elegant wines.