2017 Roagna Barbaresco Paje Vecchie Viti

The 2017 Barbaresco Paje Vecchie Viti is fascinating to taste next to the straight Paje. The old vines bottling shows more depth and muscle, along with a distinctly savory imprint that is quite beguiling. Sweet dried cherry, spice, crushed flowers, mint and incense infuse the 2017 with notable depth. The tannins are a bit unyielding today, so a few years of cellaring at a minimum seem warranted. 94 points

Roagna has two bottlings from this site in Barbaresco, one made with younger vines and one from older vines. The 2017 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti comes from the more precious old vines that are all over 50 years old. This limited selection results in a slim production of 2,850 bottles. This expression does indeed reveal a greater sense of depth and detail with wild cherry, dark rose and orange peel. The bouquet is nuanced and fine, and the tannins just melt away over a long finish. Roagna excels in the difficult vintages, and this bottle is a prime example. 95 points