Barolo Pira, 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 most historic and important 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.

Barolo Pira comes from the family’s historic holdings in Castiglione Falletto, a vineyard acquired in 1989 after generations of searching for the right Barolo site to complement the estate’s Barbaresco crus. Pira sits on southeast facing slopes composed of limestone marl and blue stone soils, producing Nebbiolo of exceptional aromatic lift, structure and energy. Compared to the more linear mineral profile of Pajé, Pira often shows greater breadth and darker fruit concentration, while retaining the tension and precision that define Roagna’s style. Old vines and low yields contribute to the wine’s depth and intensity, while the site’s elevation and exposure preserve freshness and perfume even in warmer vintages. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts and extended submerged cap maceration, followed by long ageing in large neutral oak botti designed to preserve terroir transparency rather than oak influence.  The wine shows rose petal, black cherry, blood orange and wild raspberry, layered with liquorice, dried herbs, spice and a deep ferruginous mineral character. The palate is powerful yet finely detailed, with persistent tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, savoury finish that captures the haunting perfume, structure and energy that make Pira one of the Langhe’s great Nebbiolo sites.

Origin Italy, Piedmont, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto

Grapes Nebbiolo

Vintage 2020

Alcohol 14.0%

Style Powerful, structured, ageworthy

Bottle size 75cl

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

Notes Organic, Low intervention, Sustainable Viticulture