A few of us came together to celebrate this iconic winery in Barolo. These wines were never easy to source, and even in markets with long lasting tradition in importing Italian wines, availability was spotty at best. One of the reasons is, that the family has a long tradition of selling a substantial part of their production directly to end customers. Something that is shared by other legendary producers like Bartolo Mascarello. Giuseppe Rinaldi and Bartolo Mascarello were cousins, and shared not only family ties, but also a similarly traditional approach to winemaking. Both of them strongly believed in blending or even cofermenting different vineyards / Crus and keeping integrity in their Barolos by following a strictly traditional recipe of excellent grape quality, long maceration, large botti and minimal intervention. There is a famous quote of Giuseppe Rinaldi that mirrors his traditional beliefs beautifully: “Barolo should be an austere wine with a big structure and without fruit.” Needless to say, that his best vintages are quintessential Barolo and a breath-taking example of what heights Barolo can reach with dilligent vineyard work and restraint in the cellar. Since the unfortunate passing of Giuseppe Rinaldi in 2018, his daughters Marta and Carlotta have taken over the winery. They were already working with Giuseppe for several years. While the newer wines reflect a lot of respect towards the traditional approach Beppe was following, they seem a little silkier and more perfumed, which is not a bad thing at all. I have very fond memories of visiting the winery in Barolo on several occasions and also meeting Beppe, a man of many interests and a wealth of knowledge way beyond wine.
What a treat to be able to dedicate a whole tasting to the wines of this amazing winery. Due to the incredible generosity of a friend, we had the chance to taste and drink quite a few spectacular bottles, that mostly lived up to the very high reputation this winery enjoys.
Tasting Notes
Aperitif
2015 Domaine Jacques Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, 96+ points
We started the tasting with a worthy opening act…. This bottle was on fire. Super explosive, notes of popcorn, citrus, butter, some matchstick, there is also some apricot kind of ripeness, sweet spices, but also some balancing wet stone minerality. It‘s rich, pretty full-bodied and has excellent persistence. It’s showing pretty high acidity that is cutting through the richness and some beautiful overall balance betweend richness and tension. Long finish. Superb Bienvenues…. (96+)
Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo
2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate, 95+ points
Pretty deep but also elegant, with notes of tobacco, tar, but also beautifully pure red berries, some darker plum, cedar wood, balsamic notes, also some leather. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium-high tannin that is very good quality but very present at this stage. Pretty high acidity, adding very good freshness. Deep, layered and complex, but with a long life ahead. Excellent. In the context of the 2012 vintage, this is a little bit of an outlier. It feels structured, austere and very classic in a vintage that produced mostly mid-weight wines where depth is sometimes a little lacking. Beautiful.
2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine, 92+ points
Tense, fresh and mineral-driven, this is showing notes of red currant, some red cherries, some rhubarb. There is medium+ body and some pretty high acidity, medium+ tannin that is very good, especially for the vintage. And pretty long finish. A very pure, red fruited Tre Tine that is a step down from the best vintages but really nice. While I would love to spend an evening with this beautiful wine, it was maybe suffering a little being served next to some even better bottles.
2010 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine, 97 points
Super perfumed, while still primary. Notes of pure red berries, some herbal notes, crushed violets and rose petals, some tobacco, there are notes of graphite too, overall very layered and building up in complexity. Medium-full bodied, with high but super silky tannin and some high acidity adding superb freshness. Long finish. A very special Tre Tine and probably one of the very best vintages ever here. This fits perfectly into my anticipation that 2010 might turn into the greatest vintage Barolo has seen.
2020 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Bussia, 95+ points
Only the second vintage of this new addition to the range. And very impressive. Deep and layered, with some very perfumed, spicy notes, especially a great spiciness in the nose, also notes of leather, some tar, more savory than sweet, with pretty full body, high tannin that is good quality but very present at the moment, also some medium-high acidity and very good length. A great Bussia in the making. I am very curious about how far Marta and Carlotta can take this vineyard, this is already spectacular.
2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste, 98+ points
Wow… I have had this wine a few years ago and it was so stunning that I was worried that I might be disappointed. I was blatantly wrong. Super explosive, but so elegant, with notes of perfumed red berries, some crushed violets, tar, also some tobacco, menthol, also some mint, cedar wood. Overall very layered and complex. It is showing medium-full body, excellent persistence, high acidity and tons of that 2008 freshness, but also some medium-high super polished tannin. A superbly elegant and fresh uber-classic Barolo of the highest level. Total showstopper and WOTN.
2006 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste, 96+ points
Two bottles, one a little more advanced and the other a little fresher but lighter. Overall notes of cinnamon, sweet spices, some tar, tobacco, dark red berries, also some smoke, cedar wood, menthol, leather, overall very complex and layered. Pretty full-bodied and a little old-school, with some pretty high tannin, also some pretty high acidity and long finish. Excellent. Something for old-school Barolo purists.
2006 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi – San Lorenzo, 95+ points
Notes of dark plum, some menthol, sweet spices, also some rose petals and crushed violets, overall nicely layerd and deep. It‘s full bodied and dense, with medium-high tannin that seems a little riper than the Brunate and some medium-high acidity adding freshness. Excellent.
1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste, 96 points
Notes of dark berries, some red berries, menthol, some balsamic notes, tobacco, violets, tar, also some graphite, cedar wood, minerality, and spices too. It‘s medium-full bodied, with high acidity, medium+ tannin that is very good, super long finish. A very complete, slightly old-school Brunate, excellent and in a perfect place right now.
Author: Markus Kumschick, WSET III
June 2024