Roagna - Barbaresco Vecchie Viti Pajè 2019

The fine estate of Roagna has long roots in the commune of Barbaresco, having been started very early in the twentieth century by Vincenzo Roagna. Vincenzo passed on the reigns to his son Giovanni Roagna, who in his turn saw his son Alfredo succeed him as the head of the estate. Today the property is run by Luca Roagna, the fifth generation of the family. Luca was born in 1980 and succeeded in winemaking for the property soon after he graduated from oenological school in 2001. The style of the estate’s wines has been carefully passed down through all five generations of the Roagna family, with the wines made in a very traditional and classic style. These are deep, complex, and structured wines that are built to age and handsomely reward cellaring.

The heart of the Roagna estate is its six and a half hectares of vineyards in the commune of Barbaresco, most of these lying in the cru of Pajè. From the Pajè vineyard, the Roagna family now makes three distinct cuvées, a Barbaresco “normale” labeled as Barbaresco “Pajè,” a Barbaresco Paje Vecchie Vite and “Crichët Pajè" - made from the crest of the Paje cru. In 1989 the family’s long-held aspirations of owning top-level crus in Barolo comparable to their Pajè holdings in Barbaresco came true when they purchased a parcel historically known as La Rocche e La Pira, in the fabled village of Castiglione Falletto.

Through the 2004 vintage, wines from Pira were labeled as either Barolo “La Rocca e La Pira” or Barolo Riserva “La Rocca e La Pira.” For the 2005, 2007, and 2008 vintages, wines from that vineyard were labeled as “La Pira” or “La Pira Vecchie Vite,” although the fruit has always been sourced from the same vineyard. The label changed again beginning with the release of the 2009 wines – they now have to be labeled with simply “Pira” which is the new official name of the vineyard according to the new disciplinary for the Barolo appellation. There will also sometimes be a Barolo Pira Vecchie Vite selection from the oldest vines in the cru. He will still occasionally release a Riserva selection: a barrel or barrels of the VV held back for additional time in the cellar. For the long-term aging of these special Riserva releases, Luca now ages them in specially made Clayver vessels made of ceramic which are more porous than concrete creating the approximate oxygenation of a barrel albeit in a more neutral vessel. All of Roagna’s cru wines are from vines aged 25-50 years, the VV wines are from vines older than 50 years of age.

The vinification techniques at Roagna are still traditional though Luca has made noteworthy improvements and changes to the process. The fermentations are in cask and the macerations have gone from around thirty days to, on average, 60-90 days. The aging regimen depends a bit on the cru and vintage but goes from 2-3 years to sometimes 8-10 and as much as 15-16 years for the Riserva. Luca has also switched all of their oak to the highest quality French oak 10cm thick – twice the thickness of a standard cask. These casks allow for a very slow micro-oxygenation which adds to the elegance of the finished wines.

 selection of the oldest vines in the Pajé geographical mention, produced in a limited quantity of 2000 – 3000 bottles a year.

"Asili’s ace card is elegance. Montefico has especially fragrant aromas, and Pajè is distinguished by its structure. That textural richness comes from the advanced age and deep roots of 80-year-old vines. The Roagna 2019 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti was born in an amphitheater of vines on limestone soils. The top part of the vineyard where the mineral signature is more pronounced goes to the Barbaresco Crichët Pajé, and the remaining fruit is used here. The wine shows a combination of sweetness and power with chalky tannins to close. Of the four Vecchie Viti wines (including three Barbarescos and one Barolo), this is the last wine served in the tasting. Luca Roagna makes this choice because the Pajè Vecchie Viti shows the biggest tannic structure. The Vecchie Viti wines will hit the market in January or February 2025." - 98 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Shows an extra dimension of viscosity and energy, with cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, mineral and licorice flavors. Verging on racy, offering lively acidity and dense yet refined tannins, this red is still on the reticent side, yet with all its components in the right place and superb potential. Best from 2027 through 2047. 285 cases made." - 98 points, Wine Spectator

"The 2019 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti is a wild, exotic wine. Ethereal and deceptively medium in body, the dark fruit is perfumed. The weight and gravitas of the old vines are palpable, and yet, somehow, the 2019 remains light on its feet. The aromatics alone are beguiling. The 2019 just needs time to be at its most expressive." - 96+ points, Antonio Galloni Vinous

Producer: Roagna

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Varietal: Nebbiolo

Appellation: Barbaresco

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml