Along with Conterno, Mascarello, and Rinaldi, Roagna is a part of Piedmont's elite. Roagna's 2016s drive this point home. Today, I'm happy to offer the 2016 Barolo Pira.
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While Roagna is closely associated with Barbaresco, the Barolo Pira is, along with Barbaresco Pajè, a flagship bottling. When I tasted through the 2016 Piedmont wines in 2019, it was very clear to me that 2016 is an epic Barolo vintage. In short, the 2016 Pira should not be missed.
Roagna's Pira is always one of the most finessed and lifted of their collection. The Roagna family purchased the monopole site in 1989. It is endowed with vines going back to 1937 and a fascinating soil composition of iron-rich limestone and blue and grey marls.
The 2016 Pira is stunning. It's a monument to an excellent vintage. The 2016s possess ripe vintage concentration with cool vintage elegance and precision.
This year Pira has an incredible amount of nuance and depth. It has soaring power and elegance. It's shocking how the wine manages to combine such density and verve. The spectrum of flavors is jaw-dropping - layered red fruits, game, earth, tar, herbs, spice, etc.
This is a wine that demands cellar space. There's no doubt that this unyieldingly traditional Barolo will age beautifully.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media: "The 2016 Barolo Pira is a gorgeous, complex wine endowed with terrific depth and tons of nuance that continues to open over time. Light on its feet and yet wonderfully deep, the 2016 has so much going on. Kirsch, sweet red cherry, spice, orange zest, menthol and spice fill out the layers effortlessly. Young Barolo tannins are present, but there is plenty of richness in the fruit to keep things in balance. The Pira is absolutely stellar in this tasting."