Marchesi di Gresy Martinenga Barbaresco 2007
Tasting this I have a new blessing to count; Barbaresco at 5 years on is engaging. As an early starter and a late finisher, Nebbiolo has a long hang time which is why we get so many beguiling scents of forest floor, spicy aromatic hardwoods, lovage and cherries. 2007 is a very nice vintage and probably a bit more accessible –a great introduction to the Nebbiolo experience and the tannins are remarkably silky. A good Barbaresco such as this is great at 10 to 15 years but this is not so formidably sturdy that we cannot drink this right now.
Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, February 2013
Marchesi di Gresy 2007 Martinenga Barbaresco
Sweet creamy spices and red fruit beguile and wonder in this marvel of a Nebbiolo from Barbaresco. Ligneous tannins weave with those of Nebbiolo and tug the corners of the mouth only to fill them with fragrant fruit, alpen herbs and truffles -this is gorgeous and a phenom that Nebbiolo is handsome and gentle at this young age of five years old. Not sure what magic they wield, I'm in love all the same and must admit I'm totally smitten (NB as was the entire ensemble of 100 + wine professionals at a tasting not long ago at the Guthrie's Amber Box high above the mighty Mississippi at Minneapolis.
Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, August 2012
The di Gresy family has farmed the Nebbiolo grape on this amazing hillside since 1797, so it is no surprise that their credo is respect for tradition, with the aim of making wine without manipulation - where the unique personality of the Martinenga vineyard is captured in the bottle.
The winemaker’s notes: "The Martinenga Barbaresco, without a doubt, is our most important wine. It is a wine which carries an elegance that comes from its vineyard. On the nose, it offers sensations of sweet tobacco, leather and spice. It is fresh and jammy, rich in structure with good backbone and great harmony. Martinenga is a Barbaresco of great race and breeding.”
And from The Wine Advocate: “The Barbaresco Martinenga is utterly gorgeous in this vintage. The wine reveals the tell-tale mid-weight style of the house, but there is also surprising muscle behind the fruit. Sweet red cherries, roses, licorice, berries and spices are some of the notes that linger on the pure, sensual finish... This is as graceful and elegant as Barbaresco gets.”
Expert Review
Bright, pinot-like aromas of red fruits, dried flowers and minerals. Silky on the palate but firm and energetic, with an insidious sweetness to its fruit. A very firmly built and aromatic Barbaresco with a long, rising, sappy finish. Impressive for this "basic" bottling. 92 points. By Stephen Tanzer. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 09
Food Pairings
Meats including hooved game and particularly savoury dishes like stews and braises. Pasta with rich, meaty sauces.
