Roagna

As you know, at Roagna there are no afterthoughts. When Luca Roagna, the fifth generation of this legendary Barbaresco dynasty, makes Dolcetto, it is not as a stopgap between the great Nebbiolos, but as a testament to its substance. The grapes come from 45-year-old vines in the prestigious Pajé and Asili vineyards, where the iconic Barbaresco wines are usually produced. Pajé, with its chalk-rich marl soils and high proportion of active chalk, Asili, with its east-facing clay-limestone soils and distinctive sandy content – these are no ordinary Dolcetto terroirs. The winemaking process follows the Roagna philosophy: ten days' fermentation in large wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by 90 to 100 days' contact with the skins – a maceration period that even many Barolos do not undergo. After approximately ten months' ageing in wooden and concrete vats, the wine is bottled unfiltered.

In Roagnas Bianco, history, terroir and the winemaker's personal touch come together in a way that is unrivalled in Piedmont. This cuvée, made predominantly from Chardonnay with a small proportion of Nebbiolo (vinified as white), comes from old vineyards around Barbaresco – sites otherwise reserved for great reds. The soil: calcareous marl with marine inclusions. The philosophy: absolute naturalness, from pest control to vinification. Following the slow pressing of whole grapes, spontaneous fermentation takes place using the vineyard's own yeasts. The wine is aged for around 18 months in large, used barrels, during which time Luca Roagna deliberately refrains from technical interventions – no fining, no filtration, and minimal sulphur addition.

Luca Roagna likes to call it his worst wine. "It's made from all the leftovers," he says with a smile. But what Roagna considers "leftovers" would be regarded as a gem elsewhere: the Langhe Rosso blends Nebbiolo from Barbaresco and Barolo – from Pajé, from Pira, from young vines that have not yet reached the magic age of 25. Vines that were only recently planted in plots damaged by landslides in the 1990s. Luca says of himself: "I'm a stubborn old sod." This entry-level wine is pure provocation. Technically speaking, it could be classified as a Barolo or a Barbaresco – were it not a blend of both appellations. And here's the astonishing part: The Langhe Rosso undergoes exactly the same rigorous vinification and ageing programme as the great crus – 60 to 70 days' maceration with the cap submerged, followed by five years' ageing in neutral French oak and concrete vats. Five years for an 'entry-level wine' – well, nobody else actually does that.

The fact that one of Italy's most fascinating white wines is produced in the very kingdom of Nebbiolo is one of Piedmont's most delightful paradoxes. Even more paradoxical: it is grown on Pira, that legendary monopoly position which is actually reserved for monumental Barolo. Luca Roagna has planted Chardonnay here, not far from the new winery – a statement of freedom amidst tradition. The 2023 vintage is a cuvée comprising 80% Chardonnay and 20% white-fermented Nebbiolo. The vinification follows old European principles: pre-fermentative oxidation, followed by spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats with the vineyard's own yeasts over ten days. Two years' ageing on the fine lees in neutral oak – without any racking.

If you stumble across a vineyard by fate, then you might as well keep going. Luca Roagna, however, did what he had to do. He inherited this old vineyard, which was planted entirely with Timorasso, and as he immediately realised that he wanted to do something useful with it and was unfamiliar with this historic grape variety, he quickly asked Walter Massa, who had been dedicated to this rare variety for decades. And so, after just a few years, he succeeded in making a wine from it that more than rivalled those of his teacher!

Some grape varieties die out. Others survive, forgotten. And some are revived when the right family discovers them. When the Roagnas acquired a plot of land in Montemarzino in 2014 – previously owned by a cousin – it was more than just a land purchase. It was a commitment to Timorasso, that historic white wine grape of the Colli Tortonesi, which was once thought to be lost. On Tortonese soils, at an altitude of 450 metres with an east-facing aspect, there are now vines around 35 years old, rejuvenated through massal selection from historical genetic material. The harvest takes place in small crates, and the whole bunches macerate for a few hours in the press. The must undergoes controlled oxidation without the addition of sulphites before fermenting spontaneously with the wine's own yeasts and maturing for two years on the fine lees in large barrels.

"Ruby red with bright reflections. The nose delights with a bouquet of floral notes: Mauve, hibiscus and hollyhocks are surrounded by fruity cherries and preserved raspberries and spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar and juniper berries. The red fruit is underpinned by dark aromatics and vegetal notes of redcurrant and blackberry leaves. Initially subtle on the palate until it brings out the iron fist in a velvet glove. The gentle attack calmly builds up immense pressure with great inner tension on the mid palate. The extract-sweet fruit of cherries and a fine core of sloes mingle with marzipan and noble bitter notes of the ripe tannins, which give it additional length. The exemplary use of wood sets the scene for exactly what characterises a Barbaresco: Concentration with simultaneous lightness and transparency." Sebastian Bordthäuser (Sommelier und Wein-Journalist)

Albesani leaves nothing to be desired, in expression and character it is simply grandiose. The fresh bouquet of flowers, chalk, tobacco and cherries continues on the palate, where a beguilingly silky tannin and aromatic intensity virtually rob the senses. A masterpiece from Luca Roagna! SUPERIORE.DE

With a few hours in the air, Albesani begins to reveal the inner sweetness and fragrance so typical of wines from this Neive vineyard. Sweet dried cherries, rose petals, kirsch, cinnamon, orange peel and sweet tobacco open up with a little coaxing. Albesani clearly has a lot to offer for those who can wait for the initially prominent tannins to soften. SUPERIORE.DE

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less lime content, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines in an exciting way with the typical Roagna austerity on the palate to an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance to us in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. 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 name, of all things, 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, and maceration with the cap submerged lasts up to two months. Five years in large wooden casks and concrete vats complete the ageing process.

A handful of fresh cherries. A hearty bite. Juice running down your fingers. Anyone who tastes the Gallina 2020 experiences this moment – immediate, sensual, irresistible. Among the Roagna Barbareschi, it is the seducer – the wine that does not impress with austere grandeur, but captivates with its open charm. Since 2014, the family has been cultivating a plot in Neive's most famous MGA. The soil, consisting of calcareous loam with a high sand content, lends the Nebbiolo here that silky finesse which sets Gallina apart from its more austere neighbours. Antonio Galloni calls the vineyard "the source of the roundest and most approachable Barbaresco wines in the municipality". Wines that can be enjoyed young yet will continue to mature for decades.

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 Helvetian, 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.

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 counted amongst the finest in the region. The winemaking process follows the Roagna method: maceration with a submerged cap of marc for two months, followed by five years' ageing in large barrels and concrete tanks.

912 bottles. That's all the plot yields. And sometimes the most precious things are right on your doorstep. Behind the family home, below Vigna Terlo, opposite Le Coste – there, Romina, Lucas's partner, owns 1,700 square metres of Nebbiolo. What began as a family vineyard became, in 2013, the youngest and rarest wine in the Roagna portfolio: a Barolo from Barolo, from the very municipality that gave the whole region its name. Luca deliberately avoids using an MGA designation. His plot in Terlo, he says, behaves differently from its neighbours – earthier, more idiosyncratic, less characterised by the finesse that distinguishes Coste and Ravera. However, the site's cool microclimate lends the wine a lovely tension and chalky tannins – whilst the soil imparts that organic sweetness which critics liken to redcurrants, irises and damp potting compost.

The fact that one of Italy's most fascinating white wines is produced in the very kingdom of Nebbiolo is one of Piedmont's most delightful paradoxes. Even more paradoxical: it is grown on Pira, that legendary monopoly position which is actually reserved for monumental Barolo. Luca Roagna has planted Chardonnay here, not far from the new winery – a statement of freedom amidst tradition. The 2023 vintage is a cuvée comprising 80% Chardonnay and 20% white-pressed Nebbiolo. The vinification follows old European principles: pre-fermentative oxidation, followed by spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats with the vineyard's own yeasts over ten days. Two years' ageing on the fine lees in neutral oak – without any racking.

If you stumble across a vineyard by fate, then you might as well keep going. Luca Roagna, however, did what he had to do. He inherited this old vineyard, which was planted entirely with Timorasso, and as he immediately realised that he wanted to do something useful with it and was unfamiliar with this historic grape variety, he quickly asked Walter Massa, who had been dedicated to this rare variety for decades. And so, after just a few years, he succeeded in making a wine from it that more than rivalled those of his teacher!

Some grape varieties die out. Others survive, forgotten. And some are revived when the right family discovers them. When the Roagnas acquired a plot of land in Montemarzino in 2014 – previously owned by a cousin – it was more than just a land purchase. It was a commitment to Timorasso, that historic white wine grape of the Colli Tortonesi, which was once thought to be lost. On Tortonese soils, at an altitude of 450 metres with an east-facing aspect, there are now vines around 35 years old, rejuvenated through massal selection from historical genetic material. The harvest takes place in small crates, and the whole bunches macerate for a few hours in the press. The must undergoes controlled oxidation without the addition of sulphites before fermenting spontaneously with the wine's own yeasts and maturing for two years on the fine lees in large barrels.

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a parcel just above the Cascina Pira of Roagna. It offers a captivating blend of supple fruit, soaring flavours and structure. The 2018 is silky and sensual through and through, as wines from this vineyard tend to be. It is transparent, beguiling and mesmerising from the very first sip. SUPERIORE.DE

Gallina comes from a steep, sandy vineyard, similar to the Asili site, but with less limestone, which gives it more roundness and fullness. Full bouquet of sweet tobacco, cedar wood, liquorice and dried herbs. A soft, sweet, red fruit combines with the typical Roagna austerity in an exciting way on the palate to create an impressive complexity and length. It will only reveal its true elegance in a few years' time. SUPERIORE.DE

"Ruby red with bright reflections. The nose delights with a bouquet of floral notes: Mallow, hibiscus and hollyhocks are surrounded by fruity cherries and preserved raspberries and complemented by spicy aromas of black pepper, cedar and juniper berries. The red fruit is accompanied by dark aromas and vegetal notes of blackcurrant and blackberry leaves. The attack is initially subtle until the iron fist is brought out in a velvet glove. The gentle attack calmly builds up immense pressure with great inner tension on the mid-palate. The extract-sweet fruit of cherries and a fine core of sloes mingle with marzipan and noble bitter notes of the ripe tannins, which give it additional length. The exemplary use of wood highlights exactly what characterises a Barbaresco: Concentration combined with lightness and transparency." Sebastian Bordthäuser (Sommelier und Wein-Journalist)