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

The 2008 Barbaresco Camp Gros is slightly more ethereal and yet at the same time more structured than the Gaiun. In other words, the 2008 is a typical Barbaresco that is deep yet weightless. Menthol, exotic spices, tar, dried roses and licorice are all woven together in a fabric of unusual class. The super-classic texture is totally inviting. 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.

A big, extroverted wine, the 2007 Barbaresco Camp Gros continues to develop beautifully. The warmth of the year has given the Camp Gros a little more fleshiness and power than is typically the case, but it all works. Layers of sweet, floral-infused fruit flow through to the textured, deeply spiced finish. This is a fabulous showing from Marchesi di Gresy. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. 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.