In 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "There is a red wine of Nebiule (Nebbiolo) made in this neighborhood which is very singular. It is about as sweet as the silky Madeira, as astringent on the palate as Bordeaux, and as brisk as Champagne. It is a pleasing wine."
200ish years later in Piedmont, when Giuseppe Vajra, founder of GD Vajra, was told of this tasty Jeffersonian tidbit by his importer, what do you think was his response? Challenge accepted, of course!
In 21st century wino terms, Jefferson was describing what many of us find ourselves reaching for more often than not – a refreshingly juicy, ready-to-drink, silkily-textured, wine with bright berry fruit.
In fact, to produce a modern take on this ‘crushable’ style of wine, the Vajras dialed the Delorian back to over 100 years before Jefferson swirled his first glass, pulling a winemaking recipe from the 1600s that went roughly like this: ferment with whole clusters, trap some CO2 (giving the wine it’s light spritz) and allow for a short, gentle extraction.
The result was the J.C. Claré Nebbiolo, that we know and love today (the ‘J’ for Jefferson and the ‘C’ it the name of the importer who told him the quote).
Having risen to the challenge with flying, tart-berry colors, Giuseppe himself described his wine best: “This wine is a time-capsule into an era when Nebbiolo tasted fresher, lifted and slightly crisp. This is a wine for people who are young, brave at heart and curious about Piemonte’s forgotten past.”
If you like having a well-priced, lightly-chilled and cheerful wine at the ready for an easy glass or a complement to simple foods , then this is the bottle for you.
G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo J.C. Clare 2025 - $27.99
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