About this WINE
Roagna, Piedmont
Luca Roagna represents the latest generation to work in this historical wine estate, alongside his genial father Alfredo, whose 15 hectares of vine cover both Barbaresco and Barolo wine production. However the family's roots lie in Barbaresco, with Luca's grandfather buying the Paje vineyard in the 1950s.
The key to understanding Roagna's wine is their insistence upon biodiverse masale selected and old vineyards (up to 100 year-old in the case of Castiglione Falletto), whose plants are only green harvested up to 15 yo (older vines set their own yields naturally). Harvests tend to be more protracted than their neighbours, while cuvaisons in large conical French Garbellotto botte also outstrip the norm, lasting anything from one to two months, achieving the finest tannins and maximum extraction. The use of sulphur dioxide is minimal if applied at regular intervals.
The range is dominated by three Barbaresco crus: Paje, Crichet Paje and Paje Riserva; the difference being the exposition and vine age. Not afraid to innovate, since 1982 they have also offered an ingenious non-vintage, vino di tavola blend of (Barbaresco) Nebbiolo called 'Opera Prima' and since '88 a minerally white Chardonnay/Nebbiolo blend named 'Solea'.
From Barolo's Castiglione Falletto village comes their monopole and ancient vine 'La Rocca e Le Pira' cru, while more recently (from '93) comes Serralunga d'Alba's prime Vigna Rionda. Production is small; the 10,000 cases potential reduced to an average 6,000 case reality. In a word: finezza.
Other Varieties
There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.
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Description
This is surely one of the finest white wines in the Langhe: the product of Castiglione Falletto's superior calcareous sandy soils, this oak-vinified blend of 75 percent Chardonnay and 25 percent Nebbiolo is from vines at the foot of La Pira. There is an indefatigable orange and lemon zest, making it pure and zippy, a wine that has lapped up the fresh 2013 vintage. It pings with freshly-pressed juice, transparency and life; a great wine to rival France’s finest.
The father and son team of Alfredo and Luca Roagna are celebrating the completion of their new cantina in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of La Pira vineyard, a prime location they’ve owned since 1989, but had bought fruit from since the 1950s. Both in their Barolo and Barbaresco estates (15 hectares in total), they pride themselves on their organic, grassed-over vineyards. They’re fortunate to have a wealth of oldvine fruit at their disposal which, of course, they vinify traditionally with extended maceration in large oak barrels.
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