Roagna Barolo Pira 2017

Roagna Barolo Pira is a Nebbiolo from the DOCG Barolo in Piedmont, made by a family estate rooted in Barbaresco with old vines in historic sites. Roagna replants using cuttings from its own vineyards to keep its genetics, and farms biodynamically with no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilisers, so the plots keep their biodiversity. Old vines give small crops of concentrated, balanced fruit. Nebbiolo ripens late and holds high acidity and firm tannin, while the cool climate and wide diurnal range preserve its floral aromatics. The wine spends a long sixty months in large foudres, where the very low ratio of wood surface to wine allows slow, gentle softening of the tannin and steady development of tertiary character without any oak flavour. Colour is pale garnet. The nose is perfumed and complex, with cherry and rose over dried herbs, leather, tobacco and earth, and the palate is medium to full bodied, with fine, persistent tannin, high acidity and a long savoury finish carrying liquorice. It has the structure for extended cellaring. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted for an hour. It suits braised beef and game.