Vacation Wines - No 1 & 2 - NV Hommage Francois Hemart, Henri Giraud & 2006 Barbaresco Martinenga, Marchesi Di Gresy

Time for vacation. Finally. It has been a loooong spring with too much work, hence the few posts here.
You could say that it has been "all work and no play"...

But now there is no work and all play for almost five weeks. And what better way to start than with a bottle of bubbly and and a Nebbiolo?

NV Hommage Francois Hemart, Henri Giraud
Tasted four years ago, I thought that it would need some age and I bought a couple of bottles. It still does. This is a classy Champagne with a deep, herbal nose with notes of dark bread, ripe red apples, minerals and wet asphalt on a autumn morning (exactly like that! :-)).
The taste is creamy and rich with notes of fried bread, candied lemons, minerals and a hint of raspberry licorice. Long and rewarding with a fine acidity. A tad more round and mature compared to four years ago but this still needs a couple of years in the cellar. Lovely.
93p   (tasted 2018/07)

2006 Barbaresco Martinenga, Tenuta Cisa Asinari Dei Marchesi Di Gresy
Which is the full name of the estate... Anyway - the nose when popped and poured is a joy, with notes of sweet/sour cherries, rosehips, fennel and a cool minty scent. Some maturity. When it settles in the glass aromas of  a autumn forest walk and some worn leather arises. Very, very good.
The taste is cool seedy and fine with notes of mushrooms, red cherries, gravel and paint. A long, graceful finish. A fine, light balance. A hint of dryness at the very end. Almost at its peak (according to this bottle) and should be drunk within 5-7 years. A very fine mouthful of Nebbiolo at this stage.
92p   (tasted 2018/07)s