Pajé is Roagna’s largest parcel in Barbaresco, 1.83 hectares with southwest exposition.
Particularly rich in calcareous marl and limestone, the vines here range from 25-50 years old. Younger vines go into the Langhe Rosso while older vines go into the Pajé Vecchie Viti cuvée.
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 60-70 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.
Cinnamon, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco and leather are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2014 Barbaresco Pajè. Pliant and open-knit, the 2014 is surprisingly open for a young Roagna Barbaresco, which makes it almost shockingly easy to enjoy even now (in relative terms), in what is the very early going by Roagna standards. Even, so there is plenty of Nebbiolo structure and tannin. Sweet rose petal, mint, tobacco, underbrush, game, and sweet red berry fruit add to the wine’s stunning allure.  94+pts
— Antonio Galloni