Roagna Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2019
Roagna is one of Piedmont’s most revered traditional wineries, a fifth-generation family estate rooted in the hills of Barbaresco and Barolo. Led today by Luca Roagna, the domaine is known for its uncompromising commitment to purity, biodiversity, and old-vine Nebbiolo. The vineyards—most famously Pajè, Asili, Montefico, and the Barolo monopole Pira—are farmed with minimal intervention to preserve the natural balance of each site. In the cellar, Roagna follows a slow, classical approach: indigenous yeasts, long submerged-cap fermentations, and extended aging in large neutral oak casks. The result is a collection of wines that are deeply expressive, structured, and profoundly tied to their terroir, offering some of the most soulful and age-worthy expressions of Barbaresco and Barolo produced today.
"The Roagna 2019 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione comes from a 0.49-hectare parcel that was purchased in 2016. The vineyards lay adjacent to Pira, thus opening the possibility for the Roagna family to buy this land. The vines average 50 years old, and the plan is to eventually have this wine join the Vecchie Viti series. Because this is only the fourth year of production, that remains a goal for the future. This distinctive site, one of my personal favorites in the Barolo appellation, always delivers special sharpness and linear focus. You get that here along with a very long finish. The wine has muscle, but it also shows supple roundness and ample fruit weight. This is a wine to watch." Wine Advocate 97+
