The 2009 Barbaresco Camp Gros Martinenga comes from a specific parcel of the Martinenga cru adjacent to Rabaja. The wine opens with depth and textural elegance. But it also shows signs of the 2009 summer heat and ultimately does not live up to the amazing heights reached consistently over the past five vintages. Soft accents of spice and tobacco are enhanced by dried fruit and black currant. With just a few swirls of the glass, the wine switches to aged aromas of worn leather and cured meat. The mouthfeel is generous and vibrant but not at the levels of 2008 or 2007. It is more appropriate for near-term consumption. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. Very few people can match the energy and enthusiasm of Alberto di Gresy, one of the true gentlemen of Italian wine. Of his various holdings, none is more impressive than the 11-hectare Martinenga cru. It opens like a veritable amphitheater of grapevines with the winery positioned where an imaginary orchestra pit could be. This stunning vineyard is characterized by south-facing exposures and blue marl soils for the production of some of the area’s finest and most elegant wines. If I were to draw a list of the ten most beautiful vineyards in Italy, Martinenga would surely be among them. Importer: Dalla Terra Winery Direct, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405