Pira is Luca Roagna’s largest vineyard with nearly five hectares of vines and is also a monopole. From here come the Langhe Nebbiolo, the Barolo – from vines aged 40 to 70 years – and the Vecchie Viti, from the oldest vines. The soil is extremely complex: partly sandy with rock fragments, partly blue and gray marl with lots of iron and stones. This terroir always produces fantastically elegant wines.
The fascinating aspect of Roagna’s wines is their maturity after four to five years. By then, Luca’s wines already show their absolute best side. Luca treats all his Cru vineyard wines the same way: relatively late harvest, because full phenolic ripeness is very important at Roagna to achieve this incredible finesse and the polished, fine tannins.
Since Luca inaugurated his new cellar in 2010, the Pira grapes are transferred from the vineyard to the barrel within 1.5 hours. It’s probably the fastest anywhere. After fermentation, the pomace remains in contact with the wine for another two months before it is separated.
Then follows 5 years of aging, at least three of which are in large Garbelotto wooden casks, with the rest in concrete. At Garbellotto, the wood ages for at least ten years before being made into wine barrels, making it mild and free of bitter aromas. Luca still uses new wooden barrels only for his white wines, and definitely never for Nebbiolo. For the reds, the extremely slow exchange of oxygen with the wine is key. The barrels are 10 cm thick, more than four times thicker than a barrique, so oxidation is extremely gentle and slow.
In 2020, as in 2019, the grapes for this wine were completely destemmed. In warm vintages, Luca usually adds 5-7 percent whole clusters to fermentation to support the tannin structure.
Medium, bright ruby red with a hint of orange. The wine has an opulently fragrant, intense, autumnal nose. Fallen autumn leaves, leather, bay leaves, delicate brown spices, and floating ethereal herbs. Earthy notes of burnt clay, rusty iron, white pepper, and a touch of noble white truffle. Refreshing notes of orange zest, some blood orange, and wonderfully seductive vanilla – all aromas are floating and fine. Small wild Gariguette strawberries, juicy red Morello cherries. The intensely intertwined earthy iron-rich minerality vibrates relentlessly from the glass.
On the palate, this Barolo Pira is wonderfully refined. Wow, the tannins are like a velvety, delicate veil, silky polished and round. Only after swallowing do they come alive again with refreshing acidity. Fascinating, this wine commands all the focus completely for itself! You really want to pay close attention and not miss any of the many aromas! Mixed red forest berries, delicate plum aromas, and subtle, lightly dancing spice. Refreshing red currant, some orange zest, and delicate, almost sweet-smelling herbs with a touch of orange in the finish.
The Barolo Pira has cooler precision on the tongue than the previously tasted more opulent, juicier Rocche. A beautiful "Vin de Mediation." Luca Roagna knows the fine wines of the world like few others. The wine finishes in waves, repeatedly and long, juicy and lingering.
