The 2013 Barbaresco Pajè will leave readers weak at the knees with its stunning aromatics. Spicebox, cedar, tobacco, licorice and menthol speak to the essence of Pajè. A wine of depth and pedigree, the 2013 has a lot to offer. Orange peel, cinnamon, rose petal and mint add the closing shades of nuance in a deceptively medium-bodied Barbaresco that has plenty of backing structure and tannic clout to age well for many years to come.

The Pajè vineyard is among the most calcareous in terms of soil composition within the entire Barbaresco appellation. The vines are 50 years old, and those six years of barrel and bottle aging are absolutely necessary. This plot is a little under two hectares in size, and this site has been in family hands since 1953. In fact, Roagna is releasing all its expressions from 2013 at the same time. Thanks in part to the relative youth of the vines (young I suppose only by Roagna standards), the 2013 Barbaresco Pajè's aromas are large in scale and generally more fleshed out. The tannins are also a bit more dry or astringent. The wine shows deep contrasts between the sweet nature of the bouquet and the very sharp nature of the mouthfeel.

Pale garnet. A core of ripe, slightly baked wild-strawberry fruit, wrapped in a sheet of nutty oak and sweet spice. Supple, firm tannins and more sweet palate fruit that is starting to give way to fresh earth and old-leather complexity. Long. (TJ)