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 Producer:
Giuseppe
Rinaldi
Region: Piemonte
DOC(G):
Barolo
Langhe Nebbiolo
Langhe Freisa
About the Producer:
Giuseppe Rinaldi has a unique way of seeing the world and a presence
that makes a lasting impression. An overarching respect for tradition
and a fascination with history seem to drive his thoughts and, in
turn, his wines. Beppe’s personal history goes back five generations
to the late 19th century, when his family and so many others sold
the fruit of their vineyards to the Falletti family. The first Rinaldi
winery (which is still running today under Luciano Rinaldi) was
acquired in 1870 from the Falletti’s estate manager, but in
the 1920s Giuseppe Rinaldi, grandfather of the current owner, established
his own estate with vineyards in Barolo’s best sites: Cannubi,
Brunate, Le Coste, and Ravera. Giuseppe’s son Battista later
took over the winery and developed their cellar techniques to boost
quality; when he passed away in 1992 his son, also named Giuseppe,
left his career as a veterinarian to carry on the family work.
When discussing Barolo, Beppe can’t help but wax poetic
about past generations of local winemakers. Tradition is a constant
theme in his thoughts, and he mourns the special connection with
the land that he believes has been eradicated by technology. Living
more slowly and closer to the land than is possible now begot contemplation
and more penetrating observation. The ideas and insights that came
to the forefathers of Barolo in this manner forged routines in the
vineyard, and cellar work, too, was merely an extension of their
communal wisdom.
As a traditional – although certainly not conventional –
winemaker, Beppe sees blends as the ultimate expression of Barolo.
Every vineyard site, he points out, will have shortcomings, especially
in vintages that mesh less well with the character of the land.
Past generations loved the creativity and individuality of blends,
and even their “cru” labeled wines were often laced
with non-cru fruit in order to enhance the still apparent vineyard
character. Rinaldi is happiest in the vineyard, close to nature;
he will tell you that cellar work is an uncomplicated process that
requires no degree or wit, but simply patient attention. His techniques
are not precisely calculated, but rather follow tradition and instinct,
as with his continued use of large wood vats for fermentation: he
muses that stainless steel could be better but finds old wood more
pleasurable, and the results are unimpeachable. Each bottle of Barolo
is also given more breadth and acidity through a ripasso in which
Barbera skins are added to the Nebbiolo must, a practice that Giuseppe
explains is (and always has been) common but which is never spoken
of today. His Barolos are made for long aging, so much so that his
dream is that they should never be ready to drink.
Related Wines and Links: Abbona,
Altare, Anselma,
Bovio, Cascina
Ebreo, Ceretto,
Clerico, Aldo
Conterno, Giacomo
Conterno, Conterno
Fantino, Paolo
Conterno, Alessandro
& Gian Natale Fantino, Gaja,
Giacosa, La
Spinetta, Marchesi
di Barolo, Mascarello,
Massolino,
Parusso, Pio
Cesare, Prunotto,
Rocche
dei Manzoni - Valentino, Sandrone,
Scavino, Vietti,
Voerzio.
Featured Wine(s):
Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo
Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo 'Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera'
Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo 'Brunate-Le Coste'
Giuseppe Rinaldi Langhe Nebbiolo
Giuseppe Rinaldi Langhe Freisa
To purchase these wines, call our Portfolio
Managers at 212.473.2323.
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