Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy | 538 Wine Notes

2015 Langhe, 100% Sauvignon Blanc

When I think of Piedmont, I reflect on indigenous grapes of the region—the noble Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto for red wine, the delicate Arneis, Cortese, and aromatic Muscat for white wines. However, very notable producers in the region experiment with the terroir to produce stunning examples of international varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and a host of others, to name a few.

Marchesi di Grésy is made up of four estates situated in the Langhe and the Monferrato zones and is recognized for producing many of the Piedmont region’s greatest wines. Martinenga, sacred to the population for centuries, was home to the first Roman settlement in the area, called Villa Martis, because of the oak forest arising in the valley that was slowly converted into vineyards. It is now considered by many to be the best single vineyard in the area, having been exclusively owned by the Marchesi di Grésy family since 1797. A family of farmers, they sold their prized grapes to the finest wine producers in the region for centuries. When the entrepreneurial-spirited Alberto di Grésy began supervising the family’s vineyards in the late 1960’s, he decided he wanted to make his own wines from the family vineyards, and thus started the winery in 1973, adhering to the highest standards and respect for the terroir.

The Sauvignon Blanc comes mostly from Martenenga, a nearly 12-hectare plot of south-facing hills composed of limestone and blue marl soil, as seen in the photo on the first page, and is prized for having its own micro-climate that keeps growing conditions level even in bad conditions. The vineyard is mostly planted to the Nebbiolo and Barbera and only a very small portion of this historic vineyard is planted to Sauvignon Blanc.

The grapes were destemmed and pressing of grapes followed with a cold settling of the must at low temperatures, preserving the fruity aromas of the wine. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks, with 4-6 months aging on the lees, promoting a creamy texture to the wine. Sterile bottling and brief aging in bottle before release.

The wine is straw-colored with greenish highlights, aromas of citrus, grapefruit, white peach, honeysuckle, with an herbaceous core, refreshing mouthfeel with bright acidity and a wet rocky type minerality. An ideal companion to hors d'oeuvres, seafood and fresh spring salads. Thanks to its structure and complexity it's great also with white meat, grilled vegetables and minestrone, and simply by itself among friends for an aperitif.