We have been lucky enough to receive an allocation from famed Barbaresco and Barolo producer, Roagna. There are only tiny amounts available.

We will be importing more Italian wine in the future.

Roagna is one of the most sought-after producers in Piedmont. Historically based in Barbaresco Commune, the family now also has a property in Barolo (Castiglione Falletto). Luca Roagna produces wines of purity and power. Ex Animo recently imported the wines directly from Piedmont.

Roagna’s style is characterised by old vines, and immaculate attention to detail in the vineyards where they do not use any herbicides or pesticides. They use prolonged submerged cap maceration to harness abundant, persistent and fine tannins. And they practice extended elevage for their top wines – 5 years in neutral oak is not unusual.

The 2020 Dolcetto is bright, floral and nicely perfumed, but also a bit lighter that it can be. Freshly cut flowers, crushed red berries, spice and mint linger in this super classic, nervy Docetto from Luca Roagna – 89pt
Antonio Galloni (vinous.com)

Luca Roagna:

We make Dolcetto d’Alba using fruit from our Pajé and Carso vineyards (both in the Barbaresco Commune).

Pajé is one of the historic vineyards of the village of Barbaresco and it located in the center of the area planted to vines. Pajé is particularly rich in calcareous marl soil with a high content of active limestone. The amphitheater of Pajé opens onto the Tanaro river valley which mitigates the cold winters and hot summers. Pajé is a small strip of land facing South West.

Carso sits next to the fortresses of Barbaresco, facing East, with limestone clay soil and a significant presence of sand.

The vines for this wine have a minimum of 45 years of age. The vines are sourced by using the massal selection system by using only cuttings that we have pruned from the Paje and Carso vineyards respectively.

Harvest takes place in September when the fruit has reached perfect physiological maturity. The fruit is placed gently into small containers. Before being made into wine we manually select each berry in order to have perfect fruit.

Fermentation takes place exclusively in large wood casks thanks to indigenous yeasts. This lasts for ten days and then we use the ancient technique of maceration by submerged cap which lasts for at least three months (90 – 100 days). The wine is then aged in a neutral oak barrel for approximately one year.

Gallina is a cru in the Neive Commune of Barbaresco. This is one of the Roagna family’s newest cuvées.

Some of the most round, sexy and approachable Neive Barbarescos are found in Gallina. The Barbarescos tend to be silky, perfumed and easy to drink young, which is somewhat out of character for Neive. The best wines offer long and broad drinking windows.

Showing structure and an earthy elegance, this opens with aromas of leather, forest floor, camphor and pipe tobacco. The firm, full-bodied palate offers dried cherry, blood orange and licorice alongside assertive tannins before closing on a note of rusty nail. – 94pt
Kerin O’Keefe (Wine Enthusiast)

A gorgeous wine full of the classic, youthful austerity that is such a signature of the house style. Deceptive in its light- to medium-bodied feel, the Gallina offers up striking Nebbiolo aromatics redolent of crushed red berry fruit, spice, mint and rose petal. Nervy tannins lend energy and drive. The translucent beauty of Nebbiolo is so alluring – 94pt
Antonio Galloni (vinous.com)

This beauty delivers enticing scents of woodland berry, rose petal, new leather and truffle that grow in intensity with time in the glass. The elegant palate features layers of raspberry compote, ripe Morello cherry, blood orange, licorice and baking spice. Taut, refined tannins and fresh acidity provide seamless support. Drink 2024–2046 – 100pt
Kerin O’Keefe (Wine Enthusiast)

The 2016 Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti emerges from the oldest vines on the property, those planted in 1937. As always the Vecchie Viti is all about haunting aromatics more than it is about power. Sweet rose petal, mint, dried flowers, sweet red cherry fruit and cedar lend captivating aromatic presence to this beguiling, high-toned Barolo. This is such a gorgeous wine – 97pt
Antonio Galloni (vinous.com)

Luca Roagna:

Pira is a historic vineyard located in the village of Castiglione Falletto.

Our vineyard sits on the side of Serralunga d’Alba and Perno and is Southeast facing. Pira contains specific characteristics due to the slow disintegration of the rocks of Castiglione. Our family purchased this vineyard in 1989.

We have  4.88 Hectares (12.06 Acres) planted to vines which is the largest single parcel we own.  The land is protected at the top by the Rocche of Castiglione and downstream from the forest with a stream flowing from Bussia of Monforte d’Alba. The habitat is ideal for our concept of respecting the land and the life of the soil. There are 6 unique micro parcels depending on the composition of the terrain which ranges from limestone marl Roca to blue stone.

The youngest vines for this wine date back to 1937 when planting was done in the old style where the roots of each vine are only regenerated by pruning in the Pira vineyard and then replanting the same cuttings from the old vines of Pira using the massal wood system. We began in the mid 2000s to produce a very limited edition wine giving a unique expression to this marvellous land by making wine using entirely old vines.

The harvest takes place in October by hand usually in the morning once the fruit has reached perfect ripeness. Before being made into wine we manually select each berry in order to have perfect fruit.

Fermentation takes place exclusively in large wood casks thanks to our indigenous yeasts. This lasts for ten days and then we use the ancient technique of maceration by the submerged cap process which lasts for at least two and a half months (70-90 days). The wine is then aged in a neutral oak barrel for approximately 5 years.

The production of bottles is extremely limited.