Luigi Baudana is one of the last garagiste estates still operating in the Langhe region. It is also the smallest of all the VinConnect Piemontese wineries. In 2009, Francesca, Isidoro and Guiseppe, the three children of famed Aldo and Milena Vajra of G.D Vajra, joined the Baudana family to bring new energies and an uncompromised respect to this story.

A true “village” expression of Serralunga d’Alba Barolo, the organic and biodynamic vineyard is currently a cooperative effort between Baudana and the G.D. Vajra winery. At approximately 250-350 meters above sea level with south to south-west facing slopes, this single hectare vineyard is positioned between fossils of Sant’Agatha and formations of Lequio. The white soil is compact and calcareous with limited amounts of sand which enhance water retention.

From a historic vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, the Luigi Baudana 2017 Barolo Baudana takes an extra minute to open and ultimately reveals a consistent and compact package of aromas centred on dark fruit, rusty earth and crushed flowers. It's quite nice the way the wine holds its cards closer to its proverbial chest. It lets its guard down one little piece at a time. There is some sweetness, too, and the wine feels weighty and powerful. I'd definitely give it a few more years of cellar aging so that the wine finds time to focus and flesh out. Tasted: June 2021; Rating: 93 Points; Monica Larner; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Toasted hazelnut, liquorice and mint, dark cherry, dried rose and spice, leather and black tobacco. Full-bodied, bold and dark fruited, distinct hazelnut character to taste, lavish stony tannin, sweet slightly toasty fruit, roasted red capsicum, balanced acidity, a firm ‘mineral’ character, maybe some warmth though it feels generous rather than overt, spiced biscuit, and excellent length of flavour. Powerful. The vineyard is giving it loads here. Hello! Tasted: June 2021; Price: $183; Closure: Cork; Drink: 2023-2036+; Rated: 95 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

Balsamic aromas of camphor and cedar mingle with rose and leather on this full-boded, savory red. Structured and delicious, the juicy palate is still youthfully austere, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, baking spice and licorice framed in noble tannins before a black tea finish. Drink 2025–2037; Tasted: June 2021; Rating: 96 Points; Wine Enthusiast