Favoured sites, old vines, a master's hand
The main impression I came away with from our visit to Luca Roagna this spring was of effortless, exquisite wines. His wines seem weightless in the mouth, elegant and ethereal, and yet they leave a powerful impression. My notes are full of blood orange and sage. Winemaking is, of course, anything but effortless, and Luca was exhausted when we visited; he was juggling the responsibilities of vineyard and cellar with the responsibilities of being a new father. It was very good of him to receive us at all, but he was extremely generous with his time.
Luca owns and works some extremely favoured sites in Barbaresco and Barolo, with very old vine stock. His approach to nature, biodiversity and vineyard health verges on the fanatical; his cellar regime is very traditional. The fruit enjoys a very long, very gentle extraction that can last 70-100 days. In the warm vintage of 2017, he used a small proportion of stems as well as grapes in the fermentation vats; stems bring freshness, and dial back alcohol levels. Everything about his approach is with the long-term in mind.
Luca's new cellar feels like a cavernous concrete cathedral. He made the point you don't often hear that one essential for a great wine is physical space in the cellar; you will never make great wine if, for instance, you have to move wine from tank early to make space for a new incoming harvest. Many decisions at wineries worldwide are forced by simple practical constraints; Luca aims to eliminate those. As ever, he refuses to release his wines until he feels they are ready, which is why he is a vintage behind most Barolo and Barbaresco producers. It's always worth the wait. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available Spring 2023
