The Wine Advocate

Deep dark, almost impenetrable red colour. A whole range of ripe wild berries on the nose, delicately accompanied by nuances of tobacco, leather, cedar and lavender. The palate is also full of fruit, powerful, yet silky and elegant. Traces of dark chocolate on the endlessly long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Geologists call it erosion. Winegrowers call it fate. Over millions of years, the rocks above Castiglione Falletto weathered, forming the soils on which Pira thrives today. When Luca Roagna acquired half a hectare on these very 'rocche' in 2016, he came full circle: the mother rock returned to its child. The plot lies at the historic heart of the vineyard, at the summit of the hill at three hundred metres, facing due south. Calcareous clay soils, interspersed with white rock and sand, nourish Nebbiolo vines dating from the 1960s and 70s – planted with cuttings from ancient vines. Situated right next to the new winery, this vineyard is Roagna's most intimate possession: a mere 0.48 hectares, yielding a Barolo that Antonio Galloni simply describes as "pure sensuality".

"For the Barolo DOCG Parussi, we left the confines of Serralunga and opted for a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto. Thanks to the characteristics of Nebbiolo, which is perfectly capable of capturing the differences in microclimate and soil composition and translating them into sensations, the result amazed us. Structured, important, austere. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parussi in Castiglione Falletto." Franco Massolino

This breathtaking Barbaresco (total production approx. 1,300 bottles) shows more power and intensity than you would normally find in a Barbaresco. It opens with heady aromas of wild berries, new leather, undergrowth and menthol. On the palate, it shows ripe black raspberries, juicy cherries and liquorice before finishing on a tobacco note. It is still youthfully nervous and somewhat austere, it still needs some time to develop fully. SUPERIORE.DE

What does a name mean? In the Piedmontese dialect, "Pajè" once simply referred to the various vineyard plots – a commonplace word for an everyday thing. The fact that this very name now stands for one of Barbaresco’s most legendary crus is one of the fine ironies of wine history. Since 1953, the Roagna family has been cultivating 1.83 hectares here in the heart of the municipality, and anyone who asks Luca Roagna about the essence of his work inevitably ends up here. The vineyard is a natural amphitheatre: gently sloping towards the south and south-west, sheltered from the wind by hills, and opening out towards the Tanaro valley. The soil tells a story spanning 70 million years – marine sediments from the Tertiary period, interspersed with active limestone in a concentration that is exceptional even for the Langhe. The vines, averaging over 50 years in age, are deeply rooted in this history. After the harvest, the must ferments with its own yeasts; maceration with the cap of pomace submerged lasts up to two months. Five years in large wooden barrels and concrete tanks complete the ageing process.

Some vineyards are bought. Some are inherited. This one was won at cards. In 1961, a 0.22-hectare plot in the heart of Asili changed hands – the previous owner, so the story goes, had had extraordinary bad luck at cards. Giovanni Roagna had the better hand. Or perhaps he simply had better luck. The Piedmontese called this plot "Asei" in their dialect – one of the historic vineyards south of the village of Barbaresco. The plot lies exactly in the centre of the hill, where Luca Roagna identifies the "most classic" part of the cru. The soil is characterised by calcareous marl interspersed with reddish-yellow veins of sand. The vines, now at least 80 years old, are not tended – they are left to their own devices. Wild grasses cover the ground; Luca does not plough, and the permaculture remains untouched.

Whenever one hears the name Albesani, one inevitably thinks of Bruno Giacosa and his legendary Santo Stefano. The fact that Luca Roagna has been cultivating a plot in the immediate vicinity since 2014 is one of Barbaresco's best-kept secrets – and one of its most exciting developments. The plot lies at 240 metres, at the highest point of the hill, where the area borders Santo Stefano. Calcareous soils with a good proportion of sand characterise the terroir, and fifty-year-old Nebbiolo vines are deeply rooted in this privileged soil. Albesani has held MGA certification since 2007 – belated recognition for a vineyard that connoisseurs have long regarded as one of the finest in the region. The winemaking process follows the Roagna method: maceration with a submerged cap of pomace for two months, followed by five years' ageing in large barrels and concrete tanks.

Centuries ago, a private road led down from the Castello of the noble Falletti family to this vineyard. Today, it is no longer a road that ends here, but a path through jungle-like thicket – biodiversity, as Luca Roagna understands it. When the family acquired these seven hectares in Castiglione Falletto in 1989, a long-cherished dream came true: a Barolo vineyard on a par with the legendary Pajè estates in Barbaresco. More than that: a monopoly. The vineyard lies on the south-eastern slope below the Rocche di Castiglione, sheltered by the rock face above and four hectares of woodland with a stream from the Bussia di Monforte below. The soils tell the oldest story of Barolo – marine sediments from the Helvetic Period, the geological formation shared only by Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga and Monforte. Six micro-parcels are distinguished by alternating layers of white limestone, grey and blue marl, interspersed with iron. The oldest Nebbiolo vines date back to 1937.

When Luca Roagna guides guests through his wines, he serves this one last. Not by chance, not for dramatic effect – but because nothing can come after the Pajè Vecchie Viti. The most complex tannin structure, he says, deserves the final word. The vines from which this Barbaresco is made are 80–90 years old. This is not a marketing term – "Vecchie Viti" is not recognised by law – but simply the truth. Over these decades, the roots have learnt to dig through countless layers of calcareous marl, drawing water and minerals from depths that remain inaccessible to younger vines. What they send upwards is more concentrated, more complex and utterly unique. Between 2,000 and 3,000 bottles are produced annually from this selection in the Pajè amphitheatre. The upper part of the vineyard, where the mineral character is most pronounced, goes into the Crichet Pajè – down here, the Vecchie Viti is made. It matures for five years in large wooden casks and concrete tanks before leaving the estate.

Back then, a dowry changed everything. In 1929, a triangular plot of land changed hands – not through purchase, but through marriage. Since then, Montefico has belonged to the Roagna family, longer than any other vineyard in their portfolio. Almost a century later, this quarter of a hectare remains the most intimate chapter in their history. In the Piedmontese dialect, this plot is known as "Mont der fi" – the hill over there, towards Neive. The small triangle lies exactly in the centre of the amphitheatre, at 230 metres, overlooking the neighbouring village. The soils, consisting of calcareous marl with a high proportion of active limestone, are among the oldest in Barbaresco – the result of seventy million years of marine sedimentation. The vines, all over 50 years old, are deeply rooted in this history. Of the family's four "Vecchie Viti", Montefico is the one with the most intense aroma.

Produced only in the best vintages and in small quantities, this Riserva follows the classic promise of a traditional and powerful Brunello that becomes softer and better with age. Brilliant deep red colour. Fragrant aromas of raspberries and blueberries, emphasised by violets, incense and cinnamon. Wonderfully sweet and penetrating on the palate, but light on its feet, with real class and energy, not to mention the powerful minerality of the densely packed flavours of red berries, pomegranate, tobacco and wild herbs. The finish is very long, supple and subtle with very fine tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Barolo DOCG Parafada is perfect for long ageing and surprising development. Elegant, refined, austere. Vinified in vats, matured in large barrels. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parafada in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

In 2001, brothers Piero and Lodovico Antinori, together with their nephew Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi, recognised the extraordinary potential of the hills of Bibbona in the upper Maremma. Instinct, passion and centuries of family experience led to a parcel-by-parcel study that would eventually become the birth of Tenuta di Biserno. The terroir of these 40 hectares at an altitude of 90 metres is of extraordinary complexity: mainly alluvial and clay-limestone soils that create the ideal environment for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The different exposures and the distance from the sea characterise the varietal expression so strongly that the decision in favour of two production lines was obvious: Biserno – the most prestigious and representative wine of the estate – and Il Pino di Biserno.

Mosconi 2021 comes from one of the most renowned crus of Monforte d'Alba – a site known for its brooding, clay-limestone soils and south-westerly exposure. The terroir here gives the Nebbiolo particular depth, warmth and structural density. The 2021 vintage was almost ideal in the Langhe: a cool, slow start to the growing season, followed by a stable summer without heat stress and a dry, sunny autumn created perfect conditions for the grapes to ripen slowly with high aromatic complexity and finely polished tannins.

In 2004, Grattamacco did something that nobody in Bolgheri thought necessary: converting two hectares of vineyards to the Alberello training system – the traditional, bushy training system that has been practised in Sicily and Sardinia for centuries, but which simply did not exist in Bolgheri. This was not a nostalgic look back, nor a romanticisation. It was a response to an increasingly pressing reality: heat and drought. The Alberello training system makes the vines more resilient. Their low, spreading growth shades the ground, reduces water evaporation and forces the roots to grow deeper. The vines were planted according to the so-called ‘settonce’ pattern – a hexagonal system in which each vine is exactly the same distance from all its surrounding neighbours. An arrangement that combines maximum space with minimal competition.

The purchase of the Mosconi Cru parcels in Monforte by Pio Boffa is one of the last major decisions taken by the estate – with the aim of complementing the depth of Serralunga (Ornato) with Monforte gravity. Selective hand-picking; separate fermentation in stainless steel with a carefully extended maceration period, malolactic without haste. Classic ageing in large barrels, moderate proportion of French oak as a fine brushstroke of texture. The 2020 vintage fitted in well with the concept: a stable summer, clear nights for ripening and precise harvest – healthy, ripe harvest, polished phenolics and generous, balanced fruit were the result.

The Vigna del Sorbo vineyard is located directly in front of the winery. The south-west facing vineyard with Galestro soils covers 8 hectares at an altitude of 450 metres. The Riserva was first produced in 1985 and has been labelled Gran Selezione since the 2010 vintage.

Tenuta Tignanello is located in the heart of Chianti Classico on the gentle hills between the valleys of the Greve and Pesa rivers and comprises 319 hectares of land, of which around 130 are planted with vines. The estate's vineyards include two jewels: Tignanello and Solaia, which are located on the same hill, on calcareous and schistose marl soils of marine origin from the Pliocene, and which benefit from warm days and fresh nights during the growing season. Two wines are produced from these vineyards, which many years ago had the potential to become the starting point of the Italian wine renaissance. Nothing has changed to this day.

Tenuta Tignanello is situated in the heart of Chianti Classico, on the rolling hills between the valleys of the rivers Greve and Pesa, and covers 319 hectares of land, of which around 130 are planted with vines. The estate’s vineyards include two jewels: Tignanello and Solaia, which lie on the same hill, on marl soils of marine origin from the Pliocene period, rich in limestone and slate, and which benefit from warm days and cool nights during the growing season. These vineyards produce two wines which, many years ago, were set to become the starting point for the renaissance of Italian wine. Nothing has changed in that regard to this day.

Cerretalto 2018 is an expressive, exuberant and impressive wine that opens with a dark ruby red colour and a rich texture. The bouquet is endlessly intense, closely followed by finely tuned aromas of black cherries, spices, grilled herbs, cloves, tobacco, damp earth and white truffle. Over time, elegant mineral tones unfold, and later these flavours transition into cola, liquorice and tar. The mouthfeel is silky and supple, and there is enough power to move the wine seamlessly across the palate. Cerretalto continues to develop endlessly over 24 hours in the glass. Clear case: this is a bottle for the back of your cellar. SUPERIORE.DE

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It boasts a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

"For the Barolo DOCG Parussi, we left the confines of Serralunga and opted for a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto. Thanks to the characteristics of Nebbiolo, which is perfectly capable of capturing the differences in microclimate and soil composition and translating them into sensations, the result amazed us. Structured, important, austere. Made with Nebbiolo grapes from our vineyard in the MGA Parussi in Castiglione Falletto." Franco Massolino

Deep dark, almost impenetrable red colour. A whole range of ripe wild berries on the nose, delicately accompanied by nuances of tobacco, leather, cedar and lavender. The palate is also full of fruit, powerful, yet silky and elegant. Traces of dark chocolate in the endlessly long final. SUPERIORE.DE