G.D. Vajra, Barolo Ravera, 2013 SO032425 Pouillon Apple is still front and

Apple is still front and center

and Maranges—regions south of the Côte de Beaune known for elegant

backed by hints of lavender

Benedictine monks famously marketed their white wine to the Sultan of Constantinople as "Mineral Water of Carbonnieux" to circumvent alcohol prohibition—and Thomas Jefferson visited during his 1787 Bordeaux tour

The Willett family—with distilling history stretching to the 1930s—approaches rye with seriousness and commitment

G.D. Vajra, Barolo Ravera, 2013 SO032425 Pouillon Apple is still front andAll roads lead to Vajra. This is their Barolo from the prized Ravera cru in Novello, a high, limestone rich vineyard around 380 meters planted with older vines, which gives the wine a savory, mineral backbone distinct from the family's home sites. The 2013 was a classic, structured Barolo vintage built for aging. At a decade plus it is moving into its mature stride while keeping real grip and freshness, so decant it and give it air, or hold a few more