Barbaresco Pajè DOCG 2020

Roagna | Piedmont
Az. Agr. I Paglieri | Loc. Paglieri 9 | IT 12050 Barbaresco

What does a name mean? In the Piedmontese dialect, "Pajè" once simply referred to the various vineyard plots – a commonplace word for something everyday. 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, have their roots deep in this history. After the harvest, the must ferments with its own yeasts; maceration with the cap submerged lasts up to two months. Five years in large wooden casks and concrete vats complete the ageing process.

In the glass, a deep cherry red, more youthful than its sister wines, with a pale centre. The nose combines toasted hazelnut and light coffee with cherry, rosehip and wild raspberry, overlaid with white pepper, dried herbs and a hint of light tobacco. On the palate, the tannins that make Roagna so distinctive: delicate yet ever-present, they coat the mouth without ever being overpowering. Undergrowth, moss and porcini mushrooms interweave with almond and a hint of white truffle, before the fruit returns late and almost shyly – wild cherry, barberry, a lingering note of pine needles. A Barbaresco of monumental tranquillity, whose greatness stems from its texture, not its intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

"In this multi-faceted red wine, aromas of rose petals mingle with earthy and spicy undergrowth notes. Aromas of strawberry and cherry form the mid-palate, whilst a robust acidity and firm tannins underpin the flavour. On the finish, this wine is long and elegant, with a lingering aftertaste of ripe cherries." Wine Spectator

"The 2020 Barbaresco Pajè opens with broodingnotes of spice and menthol that frame a core of lively red Nebbiolo fruit. It offers a lovely inner fragrance and sweetness, enveloped by firm, sinewy tannins that frame the whole. This is a fabulous young Barbaresco – a classically youthful wine that simply needs time to develop. In many ways, it embodies the natural reserve that is such a strong part of the local culture." Vinous

"An elegant and stylish wine with fresh violets, roses, wild strawberries, earthy minerals and hints of Sichuan pepper and licorice on the nose. Full-bodied, firm, tense and fresh with a dusty texture, yet tight and well packed. Austere finish." James Suckling