Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Vertical Tasting

Thursday, October 1, 2020 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 1291 times.

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“High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water.” 
― Mark Twain

 

That’s all I drink is wine and water with a little Tequila and Scotch mixed in for good measure.  It’s all coming out in my new book the “Two Bottle Per Day Wine Diet”.  I’m in training and must stay in good drinking shape for all these tastings like this “Once in a Life time” tasting that we just put on the schedule to celebrate the life of one of our favorite producers in the Piedmont who passed away on September 2th 2018.   Giuseppi Rinaldi will be missed not only for his wines but he will be remembered for his strong traditional winemaking beliefs, acerbic wit and gorgeous wines.

 

We have been followers of Rinaldi's wine for the last two decades and they are among the best wines produced not only in the Piedmont but anywhere on earth and since we have our 2016 vintage Barolo and Barbaresco tasting coming up this Thursday I thought it would be a good follow-up to showcase some vintage Barolo and the 2016 vintage of Giuseppi Rinaldi as we only received 12 bottles of each wine this year- we need to taste at least one bottle before we sell out of these wines from this highly acclaimed vintage from the Piedmont.

This rare offering of Rinaldi’s top cuvée which, through 1994, was the Brunate Riserva (100% Brunate) of the best vintages in the last 30 years in the Piedmont.  From 1993 on, this wine has been called Brunate-Le Coste and is made from approximately 60% Brunate and 40% Le Coste.  Finding these wines is not very easy as most of the estate’s production is quietly sold to longstanding private customers in Italy, Switzerland and Germany. 

As explained in the info below in the review by Antonio Galloni this Brunate-Le Coste wine will no longer exist due to a recent change in Piedmont wine law that states there can’t be less than 85% single vineyard to have that vineyard cru name on the bottle and you can no longer list more than one single vineyard cru name on the label.  The 2009 vintage was the last of the Brunate Le Coste making these older vintage wines even more valuable today as they will not be made like this in the future.

Updated Notes:  Law Changes and Rinaldi
The major thing I wanted you to know is that the wine we've known as BRUNATE-LE COSTE was made from 60% of Brunate and 40% of Le Coste fruit. That wine is now simply labeled as BRUNATE and is now an 85% Brunate, 15% Le Coste split. A BRUNATE labeled Barolo can only add a maximum of 15% non-Brunate fruit, per the new law. You cannot have two vineyard names on a label any longer in Barolo. If you produce your wine that way, you must create a "fantasy name" (i.e. "Tre Tine").. The production is now much less on this bottling from Rinaldi, I do not have exact numbers but I know that we are now getting a significantly lower percentage of cases imported to the US.

The wine we've known as CANNUBI-SAN LORENZO / RAVERA has historically been a blend of those two vineyards. Now, beginning with the 2010 vintage  that bottling is now called "TRE TINE" which means "three vats" and is a blend of those two areas (50% Ravera, 30% Cannubi/San Lorenzo  PLUS 20% of fruit from Le Coste)

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Giuseppe Rinaldi Vertical Barolo Tasting
Thursday, October 1st, 2020
7:30 PM

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Tasting Line-up
1994 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Barolo
2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste

2003 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi (San Lorenzo) / Ravera Magnum

2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate- Le Coste
2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi (San Lorenzo) / Ravera
2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine

2013 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine

2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate

Menu
Selection of Charcuterie and Cheese
Wild Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Parmesan Polenta
Veal Osso Bucco and smoked Mozzarella Ravioli with Sundried Cherry Epoisses Cheese Sauce
Torta de Nutella

This is a seated event and there is only room for 14 guests, the fee for this tasting is $295 + tax.  For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions and chef Toni will be happy to accommodate you.

Wine Spectator Posted: September 4, 2018
By: Bruce Sanderson

Giuseppe "Beppe" Rinaldi, proprietor of the Giuseppe Rinaldi estate in the Italian wine appellation of Barolo, died September 2nd after recently being diagnosed with bladder cancer.

He was 69.

"Beppe Rinaldi was a special person, low-keyed, very knowledgeable about the history of the Barolo area and a staunch traditionalist, just like his father and grandfather," said Dominic Nocerino of Vinifera Imports, Rinaldi's New York importer, who began working with the estate in 1980.

Rinaldi, a veterinarian by profession, took the reins of his family's winery three decades ago after the death of his father, Battista. The Rinaldi family had first started selling grapes in the late 1800s; Rinaldi's grandfather, also Giuseppe, began bottling and selling wines in the 1920s.

Despite the changes occurring in the Barolo region in the 1980s and '90s, Rinaldi continued to make wines much like his father and grandfather had, blending crus to find a balance. He produced two cuvées, each a blend of vineyards, fermented in wooden vats and aged in large, neutral-oak barrels: Brunate-Le Coste and Cannubi San Lorenzo–Ravera.

When labeling laws changed with the release of the 2010 vintage, Rinaldi blended three of the vineyards, calling the wine Tre Tine, or "Three Casks," and bottled the Brunate separately. Known for their youthful austerity and ageability, Rinaldi's Barolos were pure and complex. Beppe's other nickname was “Citrico,” or “the acidic one,” for his directness and acerbic wit.

Rinaldi was joined in the Winery by his eldest daughter, Marta, an enologist, in 2008, and younger daughter, Carlotta, an agronomist, in 2012.

“The winery is in good hands with his children," Nocerino told Wine Spectator. "Beppe will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on in the wine world."

In addition to his daughters, Rinaldi is survived by his wife, Annalisa.

Giuseppe Rinaldi - Quintessential Old World Barolo

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All the Wines available from Giuseppe Rinaldi at Wine Watch

 

2016 Rinaldi Barolo Brunate  (3 liter)
Price: $2475.00  Your Price: $2178.00        Quantity in Stock: 1
2016 Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Price: $325.00    Your Price: $286.00          Quantity in Stock: 11

(97 points) The 2016 Barolo Brunate is a tightly wound wine with striking inner perfume, sweetness and energy. Deep, dense and powerful, the 2016 exudes a sense of classical austerity that will thrill Rinaldi lovers. I remember tasting it during bottling and thinking that Beppe Rinaldi would be so very proud of his daughters for making this wine, a Barolo that so vividly captures the heart and soul of what these wines are all about. The 2016 is going to need a number of years to come into its own, but it holds immense promise. 2026-2046   Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, February 2020

2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine (Magnum)
Price: $656.25    Your Price: $577.50          Quantity in Stock: 6
2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Price: $319.00    Your Price: $280.72          Quantity in Stock: 11

(95 Points) The 2016 Barolo Tre Tine represents a sense of classicism in its mid-weight structure and austere energy. Tightly wound and brilliant, the 2016 is naturally going to need at least a few years in bottle to come together, but it is both delicious and immensely promising now. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint and dried flowers come together with ethereal tannins in this su. blend of sites here - Ravera, Cannubi (San Lorenzo) and Le Coste - works so well." Antonio Galloni, Vinous :"02/20

2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Magnum (1.5L)
Price: $625.00    Your Price: $550.00          Quantity in Stock: 2
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Price: $300.00    Your Price: $264.00          Quantity in Stock: 17

(96 Points) The 2015 Barolo Brunate benefits from a thicker soil profile in this vineyard that consequently bumps the wine's aromatic intensity and staying power up a notch or two. This wine is almost crunchy in texture, with a subtle snap or crackle as it hits the palate. It shows enormous beauty and richness with a dark fruit profile followed by elements of spice, tar, tobacco and moist potting soil. There are floral notes as well with rose and lavender. This wine will reward those with the patience to wait. Wine Advocate

2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine Magnum (1.5L)
Price: $637.50    Your Price: $561.00          Quantity in Stock: 3
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Price: $295.00    Your Price: $259.60          Quantity in Stock: 55

(95 Point) This wine celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2016. Representing its 99th birthday, the 2015 Barolo Tre Tine is a blend of fruit from Ravera (60%), Le Coste (20%) and Cannubi San Lorenzo (20%). These sites encountered some challenges with hail in the 2014 vintage that resulted in a 30% loss of fruit. The Rinaldi family saw hail in the Brunate and Cerequio area in 2016. But the 2015 vintage saw smooth sailing and what winemaker Marta Rinaldi calls "a return to normalcy." She says fermentations proceeded beautifully and without any holdups. This Barolo opens to a medium-dark garnet color with bright fruit tones followed by licorice, tar and delicate balsam herb. The wine offers a degree of softness that comes through in the quality of the tannins and the texture of the mouthfeel. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Monica Larner 06282019

2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Price: $225.00    Your Price: $198.00          Quantity in Stock: 7

(93 points) The Giuseppe Rinaldi 2014 Barolo Brunate is a darkly saturated expression with important textural richness and lasting dark fruit flavors. Marta Rinaldi tells me that she lost up to 40% of her Brunate fruit in 2014 because of a violent hail storm. That natural yield reduction has done much to increase the power and concentration of this lovely Barolo. Blackberry, sour cherry and wild plum segue to grilled herb and citrusy orange peel.  Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Issue # 237 - Jun 2018)

2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Price: $225.00    Your Price: $198.00          Quantity in Stock: 9

(92 Points) "The 2014 Barolo Tre Tine will surely benefit from extra time in the bottle. The wine was still a bit rigid and nervous when I tasted it (despite the fact I tasted from a bottle at the winery that had been open since the previous evening). This blended wine sees fruit harvested from Le Coste in mid-October and Ravera during the third week of the month. Despite the timid bouquet, the mouthfeel shows power and depth. I was also surprised by the level of fruity ripeness and plumpness that emerges from the bouquet. There is a touch of astringency on the finish that should iron out within the next five years or so." #237, 6/18.  Monica Larner, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2013 Giuseppi Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine (Magnum)
Price: $595.00    Your Price: $523.60          Quantity in Stock: 5
2013 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Price: $275.00    Your Price: $242.00          Quantity in Stock: 28

The 2013 Barolo Tre Tine is a super-classic, vibrant wine that bristles with energy. Lithe and gracious, but with terrific intensity, the 2013 is also surprisingly accessible for a young Rinaldi Barolo. Perhaps the 2013 will shut down in bottle, but today, it is all polish. Although quite classic in feel, the 2013 is a bit lower in acidity than the 2010 and is also not forbiddingly tannic, both of which add to its immense appeal today. Scents of lavender, menthol, licorice and sweet red cherry develop in the glass, adding to the wine's considerable appeal. Today, the 2013 is gorgeous...96 pts Galloni

2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 3 Liter
Price: $2100.00  Your Price: $1848.00        Quantity in Stock: 2
2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Price: $214.50    Your Price: $188.76          Quantity in Stock: 5

The 2012 Barolo Brunate is powerful and dense in the glass, but also quite expressive for such a young wine. Dark, and brooding, with fabulous mid-palate richness and depth, the 2012 packs a serious punch. Readers will find a Barolo that brings together a slightly slender, cool-climate sense of structure with good early approachability, all of which make the 2012 quite appealing even in its youth. A blast of sweet red cherry, plum, licorice, leather and spices leaves a strong and lasting impression...94 Pts Galloni

2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Price: $214.50    Your Price: $188.76          Quantity in Stock: 8

The 2012 Barolo Tre Tine is lifted, precise and gracious, with beams of firm supporting tannin that give the wine its energy and sense of proportion. Tasted next to the Brunate, the Tre Tine is distinctly more aromatic, delicate and feminine in style, with plenty of bright red fruit and floral overtones. I also tasted the 2012 from a bottle opened two days prior, and the wine had retained pretty much all of its precision. Although the Brunate is the most coveted wine at Rinaldi, the Tre Tine has been impressive in its first three vintages. The 2012 is no exception. Tre Tine is a blend of fruit from the Rinaldi family's holdings in Cannubi (San Lorenzo), Ravera and Le Coste...94 Pts Galloni

2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate- le Coste Barolo MAGNUM
Price: $625.00    Your Price: $550.00         

The 2005 Barolo Brunate/Le Coste presents a darker shade of red fruit along with a more muscular, dense personality. This, too, is a relatively soft style for Rinaldi, and while some of the complexity of the finest vintages appears to be lacking, the wine nevertheless offers compelling balance and harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi S. Lorenzo Ravera Barolo Magnum
Price: $592.50    Your Price: $521.40          Quantity in Stock: 9
2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi S. Lorenzo Ravera Barolo
Price: $300.00    Your Price: $264.00          Quantity in Stock: 10

Beppe Rinaldi is a revered traditionalist, following the techniques Battista and Giuseppe had employed in the early and mid 1900's. Wines are macerated on their skins for a long time, and aging takes place large botti. The results are powerful, deep Barolos that are met with the precision and aromatics that make them incomparable. They offer wild spices, gamey notes, and of course Nebbiolo's tell-tale tar and roses.
Essentially two Barolos were made, the Brunate-Le Coste and the Cannubi (San Lorenzo)-Ravera. Laws recently changed and now multiple crus aren't permitted on labels. Starting in 2010 the Brunate-Le Coste was bottled with a higher 85% Brunate and just 15% Le Coste (the maximum legal addition). The Cannubi (San Lorenzo)-Ravera began to implement wine from Le Coste and the new name for the bottling is "Tre Tine" (three vats).

2003 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi (San Lorenzo) / Ravera Magnum
Price: $575.00    Your Price: $506.00          Quantity in Stock: 5

(91 Points) The 2003 Barolo Cannubi(San Lorenzo)/Ravera is sweet and ripe with the essence of perfumed sweet cherries and raspberries. It is made in a soft, seductive style that is unusual for this producer and which makes the wine very accessible even at this stage. It is a great choice for near-term drinking yet also possesses enough freshness to age for another decade or more. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2019. Wine Advocate #173, Oct 2007

1994 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Barolo
Price: $245.00    Your Price: $215.60          Quantity in Stock: 3