Wine Advisor
Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate 2022
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2022 Barolo Brunate marries power with finesse to the degree that was possible in this vintage. Sweet red cherry fruit, kirsch, menthol, licorice, dried herbs and spice open in the glass. As always, the Brunate is a blend of Brunate with some Le Coste. The 2022 has a bit more Le Coste, as a major section of Brunate (since replanted) was in major decline. That comes through in the wine's acid and tannin profiles. The 2022 is a beguiling wine that I look forward to following over the coming years. Today, the Brunate looks like a medium-term proposition.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The Giuseppe Rinaldi 2022 Barolo Brunate reflects one of the vineyard sites that suffered most during the hot, drought-stricken growing season. According to Marta Rinaldi, Brunate entered 2022 with depleted water reserves after a dry winter, and the vineyard endured severe stress, resulting in the loss of both young vines from the previous year's frost and many old vines, particularly in the sandiest third of the vineyard. Those losses ultimately prompted the family to replant that section using massal selections, ensuring the long-term future of Brunate, even if production will be reduced for years to come. Despite those challenges, the 2022 reveals delicate but firmly structured tannins with an elegant, angular personality that is true to the site. Aged for 36 months in large oak casks, it shows admirable restraint and precision. Marta also explained that fermentations in 2022 were unusually difficult to complete because the drought-stressed vines produced fruit with elevated sugars, making it essential to harvest before potential alcohol levels overwhelmed the native yeasts. The result is a beautifully balanced Barolo that captures both the hardship and resilience of this remarkable vineyard.
About the Producer
The story of the Rinaldi winery begins with its founder, Battista Rinaldi, who in the nineteenth century was a farmer and tended to some vineyards owned by Marchese Falletti di Barolo. Eventually, he became the owner of a small farm and started selling the grapes he produced. With his children, he began making wine, and the family tradition was passed down from father to son until the current owners, Giuseppe Rinaldi and his daughter Marta Rinaldi. Giuseppe Rinaldi, a renowned winemaker, passed away in 2018, leaving the company in the capable hands of his daughter Marta, a graduate winemaker from the Alba school who had worked alongside her father in the vineyards and cellar for many years. The Rinaldi winery owns over 10 hectares of vineyards, including some of the most famous crus of Barolo, such as Brunate, Cannubi-San Lorenzo, and Ravera. The winery has always been a point of reference for the Barolo territory, producing classic, deep wines that age beautifully and reflect the unique terroir in which they were born. The Barolo Rinaldi is one of the winery's flagship products, sought after by connoisseurs and collectors, especially the Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo 2010. Marta manages the vineyards with a deep respect for the environment and the traditions of the territory. The vineyards are managed naturally, with a rigorous approach that never forgets the fundamental importance of rural culture. The management of the vineyards and the vinification follow traditional Langa philosophies, with a focus on naturalness and respect for the varietal characteristics of the vines. The wine undergoes long macerations on the skins in open truncated cone vats and is aged in large Slavonian oak casks. The winemaking process involves the use of natural yeasts and maceration in wooden vats, aging in large oak barrels, and the use of sulfur dioxide. The total SO2 in the bottle is 50mg/l.
