Roagna Langhe Rosso 2019

Luca Roagna likes to joke that this is the worst wine he makes. "It is made with all the leftovers," he says. The 2019 Langhe Rosso sees Nebbiolo from Barolo and Barbaresco, pretty much in equal parts. There is some Pira and Pajè along with young vine fruit from other parcels, some of which suffered mudslide damage in the 1990s and required replanting. This wine was first produced in 2000. The labor required to make it is intense because Luca needs to scope out the young vines buried within a rich patrimony of old vines. "I am a squarehead," he says. This entry-level wine is a provocation. In fact, it could technically be classified as Barolo or Barbaresco if it were not a blend of the two appellations. It sees the same five-year winemaking and oak aging regime as those wines. The 2019 vintage shows good concentration, balanced acidity and a firm backbone. There's a lot of fresh fruit here with pressed flowers and roses.

Aromas of eucalyptus, iron and underbrush are offset by flavors of cherry and plum in this mature Nebbiolo. There's a vestige of ripe fruit as this winds down on the finish, and overall, this is balanced and long. Drink now.