A very nice habit has started to form since our trip to the Barbaresco tavola last year.  Whenever Geoff from Marchesi di Grésy is in town we get together for a dinner and blind tasting.  This weekend our good friend Mehul hosted and it was quite a night to remember.

Among the highlights were three bottles that Geoff brought all from the legendary Martinenga vineyard.

Few sites in Barbaresco carry the quiet weight of history and pedigree quite like Martinenga. A monopole vineyard which is rare in Piedmont and rarer still in Barbaresco, it has belonged to the Cisa Asinari di Grésy family since 1797. Hidden in a natural amphitheatre in the heart of the appellation, Martinenga is one of the key crus that has defined the reputation of the region, on par with the likes of Pajoré and Sorì San Lorenzo.

Marchesi di Grésy approach their craft with restraint and clarity of purpose. Farming across four estates in Langhe and Monferrato, their focus is always the vineyard first. At Martinenga, careful site

selection and a deep respect for Nebbiolo allow them to produce wines that express elegance over power. Vinification is deliberately hands-off, designed not to overshadow what the vines already say, but to draw out the identity of place with quiet precision.

The wines we tasted were:2020 Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga . The estate’s classic Barbaresco.

2017 Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Gaiun Single-vineyard selection from within Martinenga and is produced only in the best vintages

2018 Marchesi di Grésy Camp Gros Martinenga Riserva. Is the top bottling from a specific east-facing parcel called Camp Gros within Martinenga.

These are stunning wines to rival the best in Barbaresco and will age beautifully over the next decade or two.  Seek them out.

For full tasting notes of  these wine see Stuarts notes from our visit.