The estate’s 2008 Barbaresco Gaiun boasts a serious core of fruit, but it is far too young to be fully appreciated today. Juicy dark cherries, spices and leather blossom beautifully in this relatively large-scaled wine for Marchesi di Gresy. The immediate, fruit-forward style of Gaiun is tempered by the super-classic, cold vintage. Elements of roundness on the long, textured finish are inviting, but the 2008 is best left alone for a few years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. Marchesi di Gresy is one of the most beautiful estates in Piedmont. Nestled mid-slope within the amphitheater-shaped Martinenga vineyard, the winery provides spectacular views of Barbaresco. Martinenga itself spans a cross section of vineyards that starts at Asili on one end and ends at Rabaja on the other. Not bad. Most of the vineyards are planted with the Rose clone of Nebbiolo, which is the main reason the estate’s wines are typically light to medium in body when they are young. With time in the bottle, the Barbareschi often put on weight, although they remain on the ligher side of things. More recently the estate has undertaken a gradual replanting with the goal of introducing more modern clones. I tasted a wide range of wines during my most recent visit, including a number of older vintages. I was quite taken with the 2003 Barbareschi, which have aged very well despite the mixed reputation of the vintage. Among the Barbareschi, I tend to prefer the Camp Gros, which is aged in cask, over the Gaiun (aged in barrique), as the Camp Gros is usually more finessed with bottle age. Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405.