A Piedmont Superstar: Roagna

Luca Roagna has, in the past decade or so, become recognized as one of the most important figures working in Piedmont today. The fifth generation of his family to work vineyards in Barbaresco, he now not only produces Barolo, but also has a new winery in Castiglione Falletto.

To say Roagna’s methods are ‘traditionalist’ only tells half the story. He practises extended macerations. That might often mean 45-60 days in Piedmont. But for Luca, this means 60-90 days. What follows is another unusually long period, this time for aging, either in French oak with very thick staves or, for their rare Riserva wines, in ceramic. Either type of vessel targets minimal oxygen ingress and the preservation of fruit expression, while the tannins soften.

The wines show huge depth of fruit and powerful structure, but given the extended macerations and aging, the tannins are always beautifully crafted and integrated. The purity and the detail of fruit is particularly brilliant in wines that have been aged for so long (2-10 years or up to 15 for Riserva level).

The heart of the estate is the Pajè vineyard in Barbaresco, from where comes the Pajè, VV and the tiny-production Crichët, from the top part of the site. From elsewhere in Barbaresco, Roagna bottles some of the top crus: Albesani (which incorporates the famous Santo Stefano), Gallina (juicy and accessible) and Montefico (powerful and classic). From Barolo, the Pira vineyard in Castiglione Falletto offers power and ageworthiness, nowhere more so than in the rare Riserva etichetta nera (black label), a wine that represents a new benchmark in Luca Roagna’s many achievements.