Roagna
Roagna is a family-owned Piemontese producer based in Barbaresco. It has been making wine in the district since before its official classification in 1890, and is particularly known for its Barbaresco Crichët Pajé cuvée, one of the highest-priced wines made in Italy.
The estate is made up of vineyard parcels that have been gradually acquired over the years. Today, Roagna owns 12 hectares (30 acres) of vines, including four small plots in the Barbaresco cru vineyards Asili, Carso, Montefico and Pajè, plus 7ha (17 acres) at Pira in Castiglione Falleto, Barolo. In addition, there are several collaborations in place with owners of other prestigious vineyard plots.
The portfolio is headed by the Crichët Pajé wine, as well as a Barbaresco Riserva and a range of other single-vineyard Barbaresco wines. Roagna also makes a Barolo from the Pira vineyard, a Dolcetto d'Alba and a Barbera d'Alba, as well as a red and white wine under the Langhe DOC. The range is completed by the Opera Prima, a multi-vintage blend of Nebbiolo.
Roagna doesn't use herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers in the vineyards, and a cover crop of grass forces the vine roots deeper to search for nutrients. In the winery, fruit undergoes a long wild yeast fermentation with a submerged cap, and the wines are aged in large oak casks to minimize wood flavours. The Roagna wines are then bottled without fining or filtration.