Great old-school Barolo: Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste Barolo 2009

Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste Barolo 2009 (Barolo, Italy)
Cork, €70
Source: Retail

Giusppe Rinaldi cellar

I managed to snare a visit to the Giuseppe Rinaldi winery when I was in Barolo in September, managing to interrupt Marta Rinaldi mid-way through bottling the ’12 early release reds and such.

I’ll delve into the Giuseppe Rinaldi story in greater detail at some point down the track, but this wine deserves some attention now. I paid the ridiculous takeaway price of €70 on a local Barolo wine list (and it was cheaper from the cellar), a figure which looks mad when I see the same wine selling for $150 retail here in Australia…

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Winemaking-wise this is all about long ferments (in very large old oak) and an emphasis on purity, espousing excesses of any kind with an unwavering desire to adhere to the traditional Barolo winemaking principles (no barriques here!).

A blend of the Brunate and Le Coste vineyards (not for much longer), this comes from what was a warm year (but a good one) in Barolo, carrying just a hint of fruit cake richness but otherwise quite compact and gentle. A little like the 05 apparently, this is softly perfumed and expands as it travels – figs and plums, a thickness through the middle and then long tannins to finish.

Not profound, but utterly timeless in its gentle, lightly meaty, finely tannic style. I can see a little Hunter Shiraz DNA here actually, which may sound odd, but the richness and velvety tannins make me think of old Hunter reds, with a style that you know will look great in 20 years time.

It’s a cliche, but this is a classic example of ‘Burgundian Barolo’. Delicious now, ethereal in the future.

Drink: 2013-2033
Score: 18/20, 93/100+
Would I buy it? I wish I had of bought more.