Wine Advisor
Roagna, Barbaresco Paje Vecchie Viti 2013
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
From a vineyard site measuring only half a hectare in size, the 2013 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti is marked by the strongest structural fiber when compared to Roagna's other old-vine wines from Barbaresco. This wine emerges from the glass with great aromatic precision, showing notes of cola, balsam and medicinal herb followed by plummy dark fruit. The effect is elegant and refined. The wine's tannic threshold measures right up there with Nebbiolo from Barolo, and this point is made at a tasting such as this by a producer who makes so many single-vineyard expressions from both appellations. In terms of its cellar aging potential, I'd put my money on Pajè for the slowest evolution and longest aging future.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2013 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti possesses striking inner sweetness, captivating aromatic intensity and the structure to drink well for many years to come. Sweet red cherry, rose petal, mint and spice are all laced together in a hauntingly beautiful Barbaresco endowed with tons of pure pedigree. A marvelously complete wine, the Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti is also one of the most compelling wines in this set of new releases from Luca Roagna.
About the Producer
The fine estate of Roagna has long roots in the commune of Barbaresco, having been started very early in the twentieth century by Vincenzo Roagna. Vincenzo passed on the reigns to his son Giovanni Roagna, who in his turn saw his son Alfredo succeed him as the head of the estate. Today the property is run by Luca Roagna, the fifth generation of the family. Luca was born in 1980 and succeeded to winemaking for the property soon after his graduation from oenological school in 2001. The style of the estate’s wines has been carefully passed down through all five generations of Roagna family, with the wines made in a very traditional and classic style. These are deep, complex and structured wines that are built to age and handsomely reward cellaring. The heart of the Roagna estate is its six and a half hectares of vineyards in the commune of Barbaresco, most of these lying in the fine cru of Pajè. From the Pajè vineyard the Roagna family now makes three distinct cuvées, a Barbaresco “normale” labeled as Barbaresco “Pajè,” a Barbaresco Paje Vecchie Vite and “Crichët Pajè" - made from the crest of the Paje cru. In 1989 the family’s long-held aspirations of owning top level crus in Barolo comparable to their Pajè holdings in Barbaresco came true, when they purchased a parcel historically known as La Rocche e La Pira, in the fabled village of Castiglione Falletto. The vinification techniques at Roagna are still traditional though Luca has made noteworthy improvements and changes to the process. The fermentations are in cask and the macerations have gone from around thirty days to, on average, 60-90 days. The aging regimen depends a bit on the cru and vintage but go from 2-3 years to sometimes 8-10 and as much as 15-16 years for the Riserva, part of which is in cement. Luca has also switched all of their oak to the highest quality French oak that is 10cm thick – twice the thickness of a standard cask. These casks allow for a very slow and micro-oxygenation which adds to the elegance of the finished wines. In addition to their fine Barbaresco and Barolo bottlings, the property also makes a Langhe Rosso cuvée from “younger Nebbiolo vines” which in Luca’s case are under 25 years – hardly young by other producers’ standards. He also produces a chewy and intensely flavored Dolcetto, and a white wine that is a blend of 75-80% chardonnay and 20-25% Nebbiolo (vinified without the skins) which they label as Langhe Bianco Solea. The Langhe Bianco Solea is held for three years prior to release by the winery, and is a medium-full, fresh and pure white that typically offers up an aromatic blend of pear, flowers, a touch of honey and pastry cream. All of the estate’s wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
