Although Marchesi di Grésy has existed since 1797, it was Alberto di Grésy’s decision in 1973 to produce wines from his own grapes that shot the estate into stardom. The practice of growing grapes in the Langhe and then selling them to fine Italian wine producers was not uncommon, though Alberto knew his vineyard sites were special enough to produce a variety of styles of Barbaresco, because his vineyards are planted in varying microclimates with world class terroir. His Camp Gros vineyard site within the famous cru of Martinenga is the most notable of all his vineyards—located on a coveted hillside with gentle slopes and southern sun exposure, alongside vineyards owned by other famous Barbaresco producers such as Angelo Gaja and and Bruno Giacosa. The luscious vineyards in this region unfold softly on the delicately-inclined hills and stretch as far as the eye can see. Take a look at any number of photos
in the Marchesi di Grésy photo gallery and you will see what I mean.
The reason Alberto has chosen to make many different bottlings of Barbaresco is because his vineyard sites exhibit so many variations in terroir. He produces 3 different Barbarescos from his 12 hectare holding of Martinenga, widely considered to be one of the best Crus (single vineyards) in the area. His goal has always been to showcase the best of the terrain and allow each vineyard to express itself purely and with an individual identity. His 2007 Camp Gros bottling is a beautiful example of its exquisite vineyard site which comes from a tiny plot of Martinenga near the famous vineyard site of Rabaja just up the hill. The stunning personality of the wine is attributed to Alberto’s persistence in maintaining harmony between the vines and his viticultural practices; the estate is careful to manage their natural resources by using solar energy and even sustains an aromatic garden of flowers, native plants and herbs — creating a welcoming atmosphere of biodiversity. This kind of biodiversity, along with the the blue marl soil, southern sun exposure and moderate altitude of ~700 to ~1,000 feet is what makes this terroir and resulting wine so unique. The estate has produced a single vineyard bottling of the Camp Gros Martinenga since 1978, and with each great vintage they have produced, the finished product has gotten better and better as the vines age.
The 2007 Camp Gros is concentrated medium ruby in color with garnet and orange reflections on the rim—typical of Nebbiolo at this age. The aromas are driven by dried red and black cherries, dried plums, dried rose petals, wet leather, tar and baking spices. Delicate flavors of sweet preserved plums, wild cherries and wet leaves are also pleasantly present on the palate joined by a rich texture and a lot of fruit which will integrate over time. This wine should start peaking over the next few years and (depending on storage) it will continue to get better for the next few decades. Since this Barbaresco is only at seven years of age it will need a serious decant of a minimum of two hours. After plenty of air the wine opens up, and is amazing, so please do not open and pour this wine expecting it to be great immediately, it needs plenty of air. If you are in Piedmont you will rarely see someone drinking a casual glass of Nebbiolo without food, it is just the way of the culture, and they have the Dolcetto grape for casual drinking. For most, Nebbiolo is something highly respected which deserves the respect of great food. I recommend pairing this wine with an Italian classic, such as a
pasta with veal, sausage and porcini ragù—this recipe will take the wine to another level of perfection.
