Barbaresco Gallina, Roagna 2020

For lovers of traditionally made Nebbiolo, few names carry the reverence and mystique of Roagna. Deeply rooted in the hills of Barbaresco since the late nineteenth century, with documented bottlings dating back to 1890, the estate has become one of Piedmont’s most uncompromising and sought after producers, crafting wines of extraordinary finesse, detail and longevity from some of the Langhe’s greatest vineyard sites. Today led by Luca Roagna alongside his father Alfredo, the family remains fiercely committed to traditional winemaking, with organic farming, massal selection, wild yeast fermentation, submerged cap macerations that can extend for several weeks, and long ageing in large neutral oak botti all central to the estate philosophy. At the heart of the domaine lies Pajé, one of Barbaresco’s historic crus, alongside celebrated holdings in Albesani, Gallina, Montefico and Asili, while in Barolo the family’s revered Pira vineyard in Castiglione Falletto produces some of the estate’s most profound wines. Roagna’s combination of tiny production, long ageing regimes and uncompromising traditionalism has earned the wines cult status amongst collectors and sommeliers, often drawing comparisons with the great terroir driven domaines of Burgundy for their transparency, precision and extraordinary ageing potential.

Barbaresco Gallina comes from one of Neive’s most distinctive and expressive crus, a vineyard long prized for producing Nebbiolo with both aromatic generosity and structural depth. Roagna farms old vine parcels within Gallina, where calcareous marl soils and warm hillside exposures contribute to wines of breadth, perfume and layered texture. Compared to the more tightly coiled structure of Montefico or the lifted finesse of Albesani, Gallina often shows a richer and more expansive personality, while still retaining the tension and mineral drive that define great traditional Barbaresco. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts and extended submerged cap maceration, allowing the wine to develop complexity and tannic detail slowly and naturally. Long ageing in large neutral oak botti preserves the transparency of the vineyard while softening the wine gradually over time. The wine shows rose petal, red cherry, blood orange and wild raspberry, layered with dried herbs, spice, tea leaf and a deep earthy mineral character. The palate is broad yet finely structured, with silky but persistent tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, savoury finish that captures the generosity, energy and remarkable detail that define Gallina in Roagna’s hands.

Origin Italy, Piedmont, Barbaresco, Nieve

Grapes Nebbiolo

Vintage 2020

Alcohol 14.0%

Style Layered, perfumed, structured

Bottle size 75cl

Winemaking Spontaneous fermentation with extended submerged cap maceration, followed by long élevage in large neutral oak botti to preserve aromatic complexity, texture and terroir transparency

Notes Organic, Low intervention, Sustainable Viticulture