Langhe Nebbiolo, 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.

Langhe Nebbiolo is produced from younger vines and parcels outside the Barolo and Barbaresco classifications, including fruit connected to the estate’s holdings around Barbaresco and Castiglione Falletto. Although positioned below the flagship crus, the wine is made with the same philosophy as the top bottlings, offering a remarkably transparent introduction to the Roagna style. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts and extended maceration, preserving Nebbiolo’s aromatic detail and structural tension without chasing extraction or excess ripeness. Elevage is carried out in large neutral oak botti, allowing the wine to develop texture and savoury complexity while maintaining freshness and precision. The 2020 vintage produced wines with excellent balance in Piedmont, combining ripe tannins with freshness and aromatic clarity. The wine shows rose petal, sour cherry, blood orange and wild strawberry, alongside dried herbs, spice and a distinct earthy, ferruginous mineral edge. The palate is finely structured and energetic, with firm but refined tannins, bright acidity and a long, savoury finish that carries the unmistakable tension and transparency associated with Roagna.

Origin Italy, Piedmont, Langhe

Grapes Nebbiolo

Vintage 2020

Alcohol 14.0%

Style Structured, savoury, ageworthy

Bottle size 75cl

Winemaking Spontaneous fermentation with extended maceration and submerged cap technique, followed by élevage in large neutral oak botti to preserve aromatic detail, structure and site transparency

Notes Organic, Low intervention, Sustainable Viticulture