WTN: 2001 Langhe Rosso, Roagna

2001 Langhe Rosso, Roagna 13%abv, Available at the monopoly in Sweden right now for SEK 199, EUR 18, USD 25, sort of.

Rather light, red colour, with a broad brick rim.

The nose is not very deep, but fragrant and charming with violets, roses and a whiff of spearmint. Autumnal notes of forest undergrowth and mushrooms plus a smokiness hovering on top of it all. In big, round Pinot glasses, warmth and an animal touch is added. Very Nebbiolo, and wonderfully so!

The initial taste is dominated by the fresh acidity. It is rather developed and a bit lean but charming and rather intense. Growing nicely in the mouth. The tannins are wonderfully fine grained and give a great structure and length to the wine.

An utterly charming wine that immediately brings forward memories of the undulating hilly landscape of Piemonte. Traditional and very true to the grape and its origin. It is made from young vines in vineyards in Barolo and Barbaresco.
It really pleases me that this kind of charming and mature wine is available for a decent price here in Sweden.
Cheers,
Anders
PS. You'll get the label tomorrow.

2001 Langhe Rosso, Roagna 13%abv, Available at the monopoly in Sweden right now for SEK 199, EUR 18, USD 25, sort of...It really pleases me that this kind of charming and mature wine is available for a decent price here in Sweden..

It does sound like a pleasing dynamic.

The label, as promised, though a day delayed.

2001 Langhe Rosso.jpg

A modern label, as you can see, but from one of the most traditional producers. Their motto is "Roagna non cambia" - Roagna don't change.
Cheers,
Anders

Thank you for the link to this review, Anders! I almost bought this last night and now I'll go get it tomorrow night.

Fine, Bill. I hope you won't be disappointed. How much is it over there?
/A

I think it was around $23, Anders. Didn't make it to the shop today but I know they have a handful left.

Does anyone know why he's calling it 'Rosso' instead of 'Nebbiolo'?

Does anyone know why he's calling it 'Rosso' instead of 'Nebbiolo'?

Isn't Langhe Rosso the pertinent DOC to use for a declassified Barolo, like this one?
/A

AFAIK the great majority of them are sold as Langhe Nebbiolo; for example both the Grasso and Germano Nebbiolos are Langhe Nebbiolos.

The division between Nebbiolo d'Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo is also unclear to me. Most of the Nebbiolo d'Alba seems to come from the Roero.

FWIW:

This wine (according to the Roagna web-site) is made from almost equal parts Nebbiolo from the Paje' vineyards (Barbaresco) and Nebbiolo from the Pira vineyards (Castiglione Falletto).

http://www.roagna.com/pagine/eng/vini_roagna/langhe_rosso.lasso

This, however, does not explain the choice to use the "Langhe Rosso" appellation rather than "Nebbiolo Langhe". The "Nebbiolo d'Alba" zone, however, is not comprised of vineyards from within the towns of Barbaresco or Castiglione Falletto.

marco

Right, Marco, but there are a number of towns in the Barolo zone that appear to be allowed to produce both Nebbiolo d'Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo, I just don't understand the distinction. Maybe there isn't one.

(If I recall correctly, when I was first selling Italian wines twenty years ago all of the secondary Nebbiolo from the Barolo zone was called Nebbiolo d'Alba.)

If I recall correctly a producer from Barolo once told me with evident frustration that they could not declassify Barolo and call it Nebbiolo - that different vineyard areas had strict rules concerning this. That would explain the Langhe Rosso appellation which I always thought was used when nebbiolo was mixed with barbera.
I think the guy also told me there were rules as to the clones allowed for Nebbiolo D'Alba and Barolo, and that they were different, but I may be wrong.