2014 Marchesi Di Gresy Barbaresco Martinenga 'Gauin'
‘Considering the antiquity of this sizeable estate - it has been in the hands of the Marchesi di Gresy for over 200 years - and the excellence of their vineyard sites, wines of greater impressiveness have been expected by some than have been delivered. Perhaps the disappointed tasters have been overlooking subtlety and grace in their wish for power and intensity, a common enough tendency in our time.’ Nicolas Belfrage MW, Barolo to Valpolicella
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The wines of the Marchesi di Gresy are some of the most beautiful you will experience. The Nebbiolo of their famed Monopole Matinenga, produces wines of incredible colour, perfumes, intensity and elegance. The di Gresy family have been in Barbaresco for centuries. They record taking ownership of the Monte Aribaldo property in Treiso comune in 1650 and in 1797 they were gifted Martinenga itself, site of the first Roman settlement in the area, known then as Villa Martis. Yet the family only started to vinify from this famous property, for themselves, into the 1970’s.
From the outskirts of Barbaresco township you can look down onto the magical natural amphitheatre of 12 ha of Martinenga. The soil here is the classic Tortonian blue-grey limestone marl that constitutes most of the Barbaresco zone. While there is bit of Barbera, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Sauvignon planted, the main game is Nebbiolo, which provides all the material for the beautiful Langhe Nebbiolo and for the three separate Barbaresco bottlings.
Fermented for 8-10 days, 20-30 days maceration. Aged in French barriques for 28 months. Further ageing in bottle before release.
In their seminal book ‘Italy’s Noble Red Wines’ (1985) - a must-have text - Sheldon and Pauline Wasserman rated Martinenga as the greatest of Barbaresco vineyards, one step higher even than Rabaja and Asili, or the Santo Stefano of Albesani. This was based mainly on their summary of the opinions of local experts and producers, rather than anything official or codified.
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Region - Barbaresco
Comune - Barbaresco
MGA/Vineyard/Cru - Martinenga
Subplot: Gaiun
Variety - Nebbiolo