Roagna is a 12 hectares winery in Barbaresco, Piedmont. Luca Roagna, the current winemaker farms the vineyards according to non-certified biodynamic principles. Luca Roagna’s wines are elegant, a great picture of their terroirs without much impact of wood on the barrels. The top wines of the domaine are: Barbaresco Crichët Pajé, Barbaresco Montefico Vecchie Viti, and Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti. The Barbaresco Crichët Pajé 2010 scored 98, the Barbaresco Montefico Vecchie Viti 2014 scored 97+, and the Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti 2014 scored 97 by the Wine Advocate. The Barbaresco Crichët Pajé has been officially produced since 1978. Most vines for this wine were planted in the 1930s. This groundbreaking Barbaresco was created to show the long aging potential. It’s not an official MGA cru, as it’s a single vineyard (approximately 0.5 hectare) planted in an enclosed small amphitheater. Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Barbaresco Crichët Pajé 2010: “The iconic 2010 Barbaresco Crichët Pajé doesn’t have Roagna’s name on the front label (other than a signature in script). Instead, the wine is recognized by its artwork featuring an image of workers on a labor strike with some political meaning. Luca Roagna’s grandfather bought these vines in 1953, and the first official vintage made was 1978 (even though a handful of experimental 1977 bottles may conceivably be spotted once in a blue moon). Most of the vines today are 80 years old. Luca’s father wanted to create a revolutionary wine (hence the political artwork on the front label) that would represent a break from classic Barbaresco. The idea was to create a Barbaresco designed for long cellar aging, just like its nearby cousin, Barolo. Indeed, the first thing you notice about this expression from 2010 is that the tannic structure needs more time to soften. That’s remarkable given that this wine has already completed anywhere from eight to ten (depending on the vintage) years of barrel aging. Crichët Pajé is not an officially recognized MGA cru; however, it is a single vineyard (measuring about half a hectare) planted on softly rolling hills that form an enclosed little amphitheater.”

The owner of Roagna is the Roagna family, Luca Roagna is responsible for all the winemaking process. The estate was founded in 1880. The first Barbaresco-classified wine was made a decade later, in 1890, in the historic centre of the village of Vincenzo and Rosa. In 1929 the vineyards were expanded with the Montefico parcel, and later on with Cascina Pajé (1953). Giovanni Roagna was the winemaker from 1953 till 1971. He purchased a parcel in Asili and also made the first Pajé selection in 1958 later renamed Crichët Pajé in 1978. Alfredo Roagna has been the winemaker in charge starting from 1971, who created the “Opera Prima” wine. Starting from 1989 Alfredo Roagna has been vinifying Barolo wine with the label La Rocca e La Pira. Luca Roagna took over winemaking in 2001. The winery collaborated with Tommaso Canale for four years (2003-2006). The vinification of the vineyards was done separately from 2004. One-year collaboration with the historic vineyard of Le Coste in Monforte d’Alba resulted in a very limited 2007 vintage. Starting from 2013 Faset in Barbaresco is vinified, and the Albesiani and Gallina vineyard in Neive is the latest parcel farmed by Roagna since 2014.

Luca Roagna farms the 12 hectares of vineyards of Roagna according to non-certified biodynamic principles. The vineyard holdings and leases have been expanded slowly and thoroughly since:

-1929, Montefico parcel

-1953, Cascina Pajé

-1961, Asili

-1989, Cascina Pira

-2013, Faset

-2014, Albesani e Gallina

The youngest vines in the Crichët Pajé vineyard are more than 50 years old. The winemakers pay much attention to the vineyards and avoid using artificial treatment. Insects help to handle processes in a natural way. 

The fermentation starts in large wooden vats with good micro-oxidation. In two to three months the wine is transferred to large round cement tanks for future maturation, which gives an effect close to maturing in large bottles. The fruit from old vines demands less yield and results in a very elegant wine that can be kept in the cellar for up to 20 years.