critic reviews
The Roagna 2017 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti draws its fruit from vines that are nearly 90 years old with southwest exposures. The Asili shows a more pronounced mineral character with crushed limestone or chalk that proves a beautiful addition to the delicate nature of the fruit. It opens to a lean ruby appearance and slowly exhibits rose, lilac, peach and redcurrant. Hints of smoke, licorice and camphor ash also appear softly at the back. This is a precious production limited to just 1,134 bottles.
The 2017 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti is quite closed and austere, almost shockingly so. It will be interesting to see if more Asili sensuality emerges over time. For now, the 2017 is very obviously on the severe side, with good energy, but less through the mid-palate. Sweet dried cherry, mint, chalk and dried herbs linger.