Producer Vaira Aurelj

PIEDMONT

In the beating heart of the Langhe, where the village of Vergne nestles between the towns of Barolo, La Morra, and Narzole, the Vaira Aurelj winemaking project comes to life. This small artisanal winery was born from the vision of Francesco and Giacomo Vaira, two very young brothers who chose to transform the memory of their father, who passed away over twenty years ago, into a daily commitment among the vines. After honing their skills at prestigious local wineries, the Vaira brothers decided to invest in a few precious plots of land, planted with Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto for the past ten years. Situated at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level and blessed with optimal southeast and southwest exposures, these vineyards represent a unique geographical case: despite sharing the same soil composition, the appellation bureaucracy recognizes only the Fossati Cru and the Vigna del Pensiero as eligible to produce DOCG wines. It is precisely from this apparent disparity that the winery's revolutionary spirit stems, choosing to produce labels that challenge bureaucratic conventions to showcase the authentic value of Vergne's terroir. In 2019, Controcorrente was released, a wine that is not only the fruit of farming experience and collaboration with wine enthusiasts, but also represents a true manifesto of redemption for those hills that share its same nobility. The company's growth journey reached a key milestone in 2024 with the release of the first vintage of Barolo Fossati, accompanied by a Dolcetto d'Alba with strong ethical values, created in collaboration with the non-profit organization "Le Fontane." The philosophy that guides Vaira Aurelj's production is based on an uncompromising pursuit of quality, where wine is understood as the direct and pure expression of the labors carried out in the vineyard. With profound respect for the land, chemicals are completely excluded, allowing winemaking to be merely the driving force behind the natural transformation of grapes into wine. Each bottle produced by Francesco and Giacomo thus becomes the living story of family dedication and a successful territorial challenge, combining scientific precision—also defined by important academic studies—with the sincere passion of those who live the vineyard as a life mission.