2018 - Barbaresco Martinenga Gaiun, Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy

The 2018 Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco Martinenga Gaiun has heady floral notes on the nose with slightly sweet and fragrant aromas and some background exotic spice like nutmeg. There is an elegant, refined quality to the tannins. I love the fact that the flavours last so long, leaving lingering fruit and a super-juicy freshness. This is a wonderful expression of the fresher 2018 vintage - it shows a lightness of touch and sensitivity.

The 2018 Barbaresco Gaiun Martinenga is a beautiful wine that shows the style of both the vintage and cru perched just above Asili. Dark cherry/plum, spice, menthol, licorice and a touch of nicely judged oak fill out the layers. In 2018 Gaiun is a bit light, as most wines are, and yet its balance is absolutely impeccable. Terrific.

Pale red-rose in colour, fresh and supple redcurrant flavours, touch of balsamic vinegar, plum, dried herbs and blond tobacco. There is a lovely sappy unfussiness to this, but the acidity is pretty high through the finish, and it can be deceptive, as those fine tannins are actually plentiful in number, and need time in the glass or in a carafe to really let the air in to them. Don't understimate this would be my advice, and give it a few hours before drinking. The entirety of this historic vineyard is owned by Marchesi di Gresy, but this comes from a 2.3ha plot of Nebbiolo vines dating back to 1964. Sold through the Bordeaux system for the first time in 2022. Ageing in French oak barrels for 30 months then 16 months in barrel, winemaker Matteo Sasso.