2013 Cascina Val del Prete Roero Vigna di Lino (750ml)

Val del Prete translates to ‘valley of the priest’, referring to the Bishop of Asti who moved here in 1850 having been exiled. The estate was bought in 1977 by Bartolomeo Roagna who was from Priocca d’Alba, and his wife Carolina. They had worked the estate previously as sharecroppers, adding vines to existing crops like grains and fruit orchards. It is now run by their son Mario. Today, Mario Roagna is regarded as one of Roero’s rising stars. The winery is situated in the vineyards with a beautiful view of an amphitheater from the cellar. His philosophy is to plant only indigenous grape varieties such as arneis, barbera and nebbiolo and to let the characteristics of the terroir speak through the wine. Farming is done bio-dynamically and the past years have been spent converting to organic farming. Fermentation in the cellars is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts.

Roero is a small DOCG wine district in the hills of Piedmont, in north-western Italy. It is known particularly for its refreshing white wines made from Arneis, but also for its bold, fragrant reds made from Piedmont's signature red-wine grape, Nebbiolo. Roero DOCG red wine must be 100% Nebbiolo grown and produced within the delimited area of Roero. Roero must be aged in cellars for a minimum of twenty months, with a minimum of six months in wooden barrels. Roero Riserva must be aged at least 32 months total, with the same minimum of six months spent in wood.

"The estate's 2013 Roero Vigna di Lino is powerful, dense and explosive. Lavender, violet, spice and bluish-hued fruits give the 2013 much of its distinctive personality. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2013 offers quite a bit of depth. With time in the glass, the wine gains freshness and slightly redder tonalities in its fruit. This is a terrific expression of Roero Nebbiolo. Drinking window: 2018 - 2028" 92 points - Antonio Galloni (Vinous, August 2016)