Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is an incredibly elegant expression of Nebbiolo derived from a 0.22-hectare plot that was purchased in 1961. There is a crazy story behind the acquisition involving Luca's grandfather and the previous owner who apparently was especially unlucky at cards. The Roagna 2019 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti is especially polished and fine with an almost glossy texture. This lucky vineyard is covered with a unique permaculture, including wild grasses. Luca Roagna does not till the land and he leaves that green regenerative cover crop untouched. The wine is lean and light in appearance, but again in typical Roagna fashion, the delicate look of the wine comes in contrast to the complexity, depth and power on offer.
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Wine Spectator
Lithe and elegant, this red is also spicy, its white pepper aligning with the vibrant backbone of acidity to define flavors of cherry, strawberry, currant, rose hip and mint. As this builds to the finish, a mineral element emerges, along with dense, refined tannins. Best from 2028 through 2047.
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Vinous
The 2019 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti is terrific, but it will also need time to be at its finest. It offers a captivating mix of Asili's inner perfume and the youthful austerity that is so typical of the year. Kirsch, cinnamon, sweet spice, mint, cedar and pipe tobacco open with some coaxing. Patience will be absolutely critical here. What a gorgeous wine this is.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo. Four townships within the Barbaresco zone can produce Barbaresco: the actual village of Barbaresco, as well as Neive, Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.
Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.