Beppe Rinaldi

A couple of weeks ago I had the extreme pleasure to once again participate in a Vinous Members wine tasting.  This group was more or less created by Tony a while back.   I was honored and delighted to be invited when the group was formed.  Tony, along with Eric Guido once again orchestrated the venue, I Trulli Ristorante, and the wine theme, Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo.

In my opinion two of the finest wine makers in Italy (perhaps the world for that matter) are often referred to as “Beppe”; Giuseppe Quintarelli (Veneto) and Giuseppe Rinaldi (Piedmont). Both of these producers are at the very top of my “favorites” list.  Their wines are the ultimate expression of traditionally made wines that provide for memorable drinking experiences.

Beppe Rinaldi took over the winery after the death of his father Battista in 1992 and runs it today with his daughter Marta.  The only change he made was regarding the blending of the vineyards in the two Barolo his father made.  Eric Guido’s write up of this dinner includes an in depth history of the estate and I would encourage you to read it.  The Cellar Table at Morrell Bar & Café.

Since 2010 the Barolo Consortium’s ever changing wine label laws preclude producers from using more than one vineyard name on the label. The wines we drank tonight Brunate Le Coste and Cannubi San Lorenzo, have been replaced since 2010 with Brunate and Tre Tine. Eric’s write up explains this in detail.

Before settling down to the 5 Rinaldi flights Tony brought along a bottle of NV Jacques Selosse Initial Champagne that we all thoroughly enjoyed.  We drank this from large glasses to enjoy the yeasty bouquet and evolution this remarkable wine goes through as it sits in the glass.  In my opinion, Selosse is king when it comes to bubbly.  The only downside is the wines are highly allocated, thus hard to find and expensive.


Flight 1

1956 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo.  What a pleasant surprise this was.  If I had to guess the age of the wine by the color, I would have added at least 40 years to it as it possessed a surprisingly translucent red hue.  The bottle was brought along by Jamie Wolfe of Chamber Street Wines. Jamie, who is extremely knowledgeable about Nebbiolo, especially older vintages, informed us that up to 20% Barbera was added to the wine in 1956.  While the wine lacked the vibrancy of the younger vintages, it drank very well for its age.

1985 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Riserva.  Made by Giuseppe’s father the color of this wine was a bit cloudier than the 1985 and lacked the body and depth of the 1956.  While the wine was no slouch, I found it to be a few large steps behind the 1956.

1985 (left) - 1956 (right)

Flight 2

1993 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo – Ravera.  I had hoped for more from this, but alas that was not the case.  Not a bad wine, but compared to many of the others I felt it lacked depth and focus.

1997 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  In my opinion the 1997 Barolo vintage, once thought to be the vintage of the century, has long faded into the horizon.  This bottle did nothing to change that.  I had it at the bottom of the list.

1998 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  A vintage that seems to be overlooked by many, I have yet to be disappointed by any Barolo from the vintage.  The bouquet and palate were very youthful, the fruit was pure and balanced and it finished with considerable elegance. It was easily the best wine of the flight.

Flight 3

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  Easily the wine of the night for me.  This was a completely round and delicious wine that is a beautiful example of how good Nebbiolo can be when made by a master. The wine is in perfect harmony with the terroir of Piedmont and just keeps evolving with each sip.  This will last for decades.  Decant for at least 3 hours to give it time to open up.  My only regret is that I have none of this in my cellar.

2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  Another vintage that is often overlooked by many and one that I have enjoyed on a number of occasions. Tonight’s bottle was not up to previous bottles I have had, nor is it in the class of the other two in the flight, but I enjoyed every sip.

2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  The pedigree of this wine is incredible. At the moment it offers up hints of the great wine lurking inside the bottle.  This is destined to be a blockbuster in another 5 years.

Flight 4

2003 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  2003 was a scorching hot year that produced wines of varying quality throughout the region.  Not so for Beppe.  This was an absolutely gorgeous surprise to all of us. It was incredibly alive with fresh fruit, focus, complexity and depth and a lengthy finish.  It is easily one of the best 2003 Barolos I have had…and I believe it will only get better with bottle age.

2004 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  Like the 2001, the pedigree here is eminently evident.  It possessed a silky and harmonious palate with a gorgeous bouquet of fresh fruit and earth.  The finish is elegant and will lengthen with bottle aging.

2004 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi - San Lorenzo – Ravera.  Like Eric and Ken, I felt this bottle was really off.  Perhaps storage during shipping affected the wine.  I will know soon enough as I have 6 of these in my cellar.  I hope they fare better than this bottle did.

Flight 5

2007 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi - San Lorenzo – Ravera.  Very nice wine, but overshadowed by the BLC.

2007 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  Simply gorgeous.  What I like to call a round and delicious wine (it has it all).  The wine was very much alive and soaring in the glass with each sip.  The long and elegant finish made me want another sip immediately.

2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate – Le Coste.  A great year for Barolo, and this offering is one of the reasons why.  Oh, what a wine.  It should be allowed at least 5 years in the cellar, but it is so delicious it is hard to keep your hands off it.

Photo courtesy of Eric Guido

The opportunity to share and discuss wines of this caliber with friends of equal caliber is something I cherish more than all the wine in my cellar.  Of course nights like this have a tendency to entice one to add more wine to the cellar.  Thanks again to Anthony and Eric for making happen.  I look forward to our next dinner.

I did not take any pictures of food and attendees, but fret not I'm sure they will soon be available when Ken Vastola posts his notes at http://www.finewinegeek.com.  Be on the lookout for it.

Saluté