Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This wine achieved an impressive level of ripeness in the rainy 2014 growing season, developing delicate scents of rose petals and tarragon along with flavors of Bing cherry and fresh mushroom. Subtle notes of spice and orange zest further enliven the wine, giving it an immediate appeal.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There is some very nice spice and softness to the 2014 Barbaresco Martinenga that adds to its lean but lasting texture. The nose is sweet and bright: We are treated to generous licorice and candied cherry. This is an accessible but impressive wine.
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Wine Spectator
Cherry, menthol, rich loam and tar flavors signal this supple, vibrant red. Balanced on the tannic side for now, with a lightly astringent finish. Best from 2020 through 2032.
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James Suckling
A chewy and slightly lean Barbaresco with tea, dried strawberries and dried-meat character. Medium body, firm tannins and a clean finish. Hints of walnuts.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo. Four townships within the Barbaresco zone can produce Barbaresco: the actual village of Barbaresco, as well as Neive, Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.
Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.