Roagna, 2016 Barolo Pira


Producer


Vintage

2016

Region

Italy

Appellation

Barolo

Cuvée

Pira

Varietal

Nebbiolo

Farming

Natural farming

Vinification

Indigenous yeast fermented, Large format barrel aged

Soil Type

Clay, Sandy loam, Schist

Note

last bt

Purchased in 1989, this 4.88 hectare monopole vineyard in Castiglione Falletto, this is the Roagna’s largest single vineyard. There are 6 unique micro parcels depending on the composition of the terrain which ranges from limestone marl Roca to blue stone. Fermentation lasts ten days in large wood casks. They ferment with a pied de cuvee made from their indigenous yeasts. They then use the technique of submerged cap — which can last 60-75 days. The wine is then aged in large neutral French botti. The oak Luca uses is never toasted but instead made by using hot steam instead of flame. The wine is normally aged for five years in wood before release.
The 2014 Barolo Pira is a very pretty wine, but it is also quite open, both in its aromatics, and structural feel, where the wine feels unusually ample. Dark spice, tobacco, worn-in leather and mint are nicely laced together. This is a superb effort for the year, but I would not plan on cellaring it for too long, as it is quite open for a young Barolo, by Roagna standards. Relative to the other wines in this lineup, the Pira comes across as a touch flat and lacking in body. Much of that is attributable to the vintage.  91pts
— Antonio Galloni