Wines from Piedmont

Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti comes from the estate's oldest vines, which were planted in 1937. As always, Pira Vecchie Viti is more about haunting, ethereal flavours than power. Sweet rose petals, mint, dried flowers, sweet red cherries and cedar give this beguiling, high-toned Barolo a captivating aromatic presence. A great wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Anyone who hears the name Albesani inevitably thinks of Bruno Giacosa and his mythical Santo Stefano. The fact that Luca Roagna has been cultivating a plot of land in the immediate neighbourhood since 2014 is one of the best-kept secrets of Barbaresco – and one of its most exciting developments. The plot is located at 240 metres at the highest point of the hill, where the area borders Santo Stefano. The terroir is characterised by chalky soils with a good proportion of sand, and fifty-year-old Nebbiolo vines are deeply rooted in this privileged soil. Albesani has held MGA certification since 2007 – late recognition for a site that connoisseurs have long counted among the greatest in the region. The vinification follows the Roagna canon: maceration with a submerged cap for two months, five years of ageing in large barrels and concrete.

Geologists speak of erosion. Winegrowers speak of fate. Over millions of years, the rocks above Castiglione Falletto weathered and formed the soil on which Pira now thrives. When Luca Roagna acquired half a hectare on these very Rocche in 2016, a circle was completed: the mother rock returned to the child. The parcel is located in the historic heart of the site, at the top of the hill at three hundred metres, with a pure southern exposure. Calcareous clay soils, interspersed with white rock and sand, nourish Nebbiolo vines from the 1960s and 70s – planted with vines from ancient stocks. Situated right next to the new winery, this vineyard is Roagna's most intimate property: just 0.48 hectares, from which a Barolo is created that Antonio Galloni simply calls "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 parcels – an everyday word for everyday things. The fact that this name now stands for one of the most legendary crus of Barbaresco is one of the beautiful ironies of wine history. The Roagna family has been cultivating 1.83 hectares here in the heart of the municipality since 1953, and anyone who asks Luca Roagna about the core of his work will inevitably end up here. The vineyard is a natural amphitheatre: gently sloping to the south and south-west, protected from the wind by hills and open to the Tanaro valley. The soil tells of 70 million years of – marine sediments from the Tertiary period, interspersed with active limestone in a concentration that is exceptional even for the Langhe. The vines, on average over 50 years old, are deeply rooted in this history. After the harvest, the must ferments with its own yeasts and macerates for up to two months with a submerged cap. Five years in large wooden barrels and concrete complete the maturation process.

Centuries ago, a private road led from the Castello of the noble Falletti family down to this vineyard. Today, there is no longer a road here, but a path through a 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. Even more: a monopoly. The vineyard lies on the south-eastern slope below the Rocche di Castiglione, protected by the rock above and four hectares of forest with a stream from the Bussia di Monforte below. The soils tell the oldest story of Barolo – marine sediments from the Helvetia, the geological formation shared only by Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga and Monforte. Six micro-parcels are differentiated 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 them last. Not by chance, not out of dramaturgy – but because nothing else can come after the Pajè Vecchie Viti. The greatest tannin structure, he says, needs the last word. The vines from which this Barbaresco is made are 80-90 years old. This is not a marketing term – "Vecchie Viti" does not recognise the law –but the simple truth. During these decades, the roots have learnt to dig through countless layers of calcareous marl, drawing water and minerals from depths that remain closed to younger plants. What they send up is more concentrated, more complex and unrepeatable. 2,000-3,000 bottles are produced annually from this selection in the amphitheatre of Pajè. The upper part of the vineyard, where the mineral signature is strongest, goes into the Crichet Pajé – the Vecchie Viti is produced down here. It matures for five years in large wooden barrels and concrete before leaving the winery.

A dowry changed everything back then. In 1929, a triangular piece of land changed hands – not by purchase, but by marriage. Montefico has belonged to the Roagna family ever since, longer than any other vineyard in the portfolio. Almost a century later, this quarter of a hectare is still the most intimate chapter in its history. "Mont der fi" is what the Piedmontese dialect calls this location – the mountain over there, towards Neive. The small triangle lies exactly in the middle of the amphitheatre, at 230 metres, with a view of the neighbouring village. The soils of calcareous marl with a high proportion of active limestone are among the oldest in Barbaresco – seventy million years of marine sedimentation. The vines, all over 50 years old, are deeply rooted in this history. Of the four Vecchie Viti of the family, Montefico is the most intensely flavoured.

The Bricco della Bigotta comes from the single vineyard of the same name and owes its name to a former resident whose strict piety became proverbial in the village. The old vines stand on a hill not far from Rocchetta Tanaro, in soils of limestone, marl and clay, which give the variety a distinctive structure. The 2020 vintage was characterised by a balanced vegetation cycle: mild spring days, a warm summer without extreme heat and cool nights in late summer, which gave the grapes freshness and aromatic depth. After selective manual harvesting, a long maceration followed by 12 months of ageing in French barriques.

"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

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.

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.

Cicala is the most masculine vineyard in the Conterno portfolio. Anyone familiar with the elegant, floral Colonnello from the same Bussia hilltop will be surprised here. Less sand, more clay. Less playfulness, more pressure. The calcareous clay soil is enriched with iron and limestone – minerals that give the wine the structural strength that distinguishes it from its siblings. The vines are 40 to 45 years old, facing south to south-west, and what grows here is mainly Nebbiolo Lampia on Rupestris du Lot rootstock. Only three producers own plots in this part of Bussia: Conterno, Prunotto and Bussia Soprana. Six hectares in total, around 800 crates per vintage. A rarity. Fermentation in steel tanks at 28°C, five to six weeks of maceration, then 29 months in 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels – no barrique, never. Aldo Conterno once said: "Vanilla, toast and spice do not belong in Barolo." The barrels are scraped every two years and used for a maximum of eight years. After ageing, the wine spends a few months in steel before being bottled unfiltered.

"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

Cannubi comes from one of the most legendary Barolo vineyards of all. Located between Barolo and La Morra, this gently rolling hill rises to an altitude of around 290 metres. The soils are a complex mix of calcareous marl, sand and clay, giving the wines an unrivalled combination of finesse, aromatic depth and silky structure. The south to south-east exposure ensures optimal ripeness without overloading the character of the site. The 2020 vintage offered almost ideal conditions: balanced vegetation, warm but not excessive summer temperatures and cool nights before the harvest. The grapes were harvested by hand at the beginning of October, followed by gentle fermentation and careful ageing in barriques, in keeping with the elegant, modern style of Altare.

Intense ruby red with garnet reflections. On the nose, red berries, spices and a cornucopia of other aromas that only reveal themselves with further oxygenation. Fleshy, juicy, powerful and extremely precise and structured on the palate. At today's still very young age, one can only guess what it will become in further years of bottle ageing. A monument of wine - already today - the tannins soft, multilayered and captivating. This is the archetype of a Nebbiolo, which impressively demonstrates to every friend of the grape variety that it is not necessarily always the location, but also the quality of the grape and the subsequent wise vinification that makes it a real red and unforgettable royal wine of Italy. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Barolo DOCG Margheria comes from the calcareous soil with a slightly higher proportion of sand than in our other sub-areas, which has a strong influence on its character. It was produced for the first time in 1985 and has great ageing potential. The grapes come from our vineyard in the MGA Margheria in Serralunga d'Alba." Franco Massolino

"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

Briccotto is a traditional Barolo from the Bussia vineyard, which used to be sold only in 1.Liters bottles. Even today, the wine is only produced in small quantities; the vineyard covers just 0.3 hectares and is planted with Nebbiolo vines, some of which are 40 years old. Rich ruby colour with a slight garnet rim. Intense, finely characterised nose with pronounced fruity nuances, lots of blackberry, dark cherry, also some cranberry. Dense and polished tannins on the palate, almost silky core, embedded in ripe berry fruit. Earthy notes on the final, savoury and long, an aristocratic wine monument! SUPERIORE.DE

The second novelty of the 2018 vintage is Vietti's Barolo Monvigliero. The special feature: Approx. 60% of the grapes are not destemmed, which enhances the aromatic nuances of the wine. Youthful notes of raspberry and blueberry are flanked by black pepper, gentian, porcelain and black olives. The palate has a beguilingly soft texture, fine and creamy, underpinned by wonderful laurel and floral aromas. Monvigliero impresses with its purity, its serenity and its class. Excellent. SUPERIORE.DE

Some wines have to fight for their recognition over years, while others are in the limelight from birth. For a long time, Barolo Le Vigne was the "second" Barolo in the Sandrone family, standing in the shadow of the iconic Cannubi Boschi – until connoisseurs and critics gradually realised that there was no hierarchy here, but rather equality. Today, after more than three decades since the first vintage in 1990, Le Vigne is no longer a complement to Aleste, but its congenial partner – a wine that perfects the ancient Piedmontese art of blending several vineyard sites and increasingly holds a candle to Aleste.

912 bottles. That's all the plot has to offer. And sometimes the most precious things are right on the doorstep. Behind the family home, below the Vigna Terlo, opposite Le Coste – romina, Luca's partner, owns seventeen hundred square metres of Nebbiolo there. What began as a family vineyard became the youngest and rarest growth in the Roagna portfolio in 2013: a Barolo from Barolo, from the municipality that gave everything its name. Luca deliberately refrains from using an MGA designation. His Terlo, he says, behaves differently from its neighbours – earthier, more idiosyncratic, less characterised by the finesse that distinguishes Coste and Ravera. However, the cool microclimate of the site gives the wine a beautiful tension and a chalky tannin – and the soil that organic sweetness that reminds critics of redcurrant, iris and damp potting soil.