Francesco Rinaldi 'Le Brunate' Barolo 2016

The great traditionalist estate of Francesco Rinaldi e Figli is one of the greatest names in Piemonte. Located in the town of Barolo itself, the domaine of Francesco Rinaldi has a long and illustrious history in the region. It was founded in 1870, when Francesco Rinaldi inherited a vineyard and house in Barolo, inducing him to leave behind his work with the very large Mirafiore estate and set out on his own. His family at that time also had ties to the then greatest estate in the Barolo region, Barale-Rinaldi. Francesco was the cousin of Giuseppe Rinaldi, and together these two superb family wineries have marched down through time side by side, both upholding the unique, traditional style of Barolo that has also been championed by other great names in Piemonte, such as Bartolo Mascarello and Bruno Giacosa.

One hundred and thirty years later, much of the same techniques are still used in the Francesco Rinaldi cellars to produce some of Barolo’s greatest wines. The estate is now run by Luciano Rinaldi’s niece, Paola Rinaldi (a graduate of business school) with help from her sister Piera, and they continue to make beautiful wines within the great traditions of Barolo, avoiding new oak, and preferring long macerations and aging in large Slavonian oak prior to bottling.

From the nebbiolo vines which grow in the lands of “La Brunata” farm. The wine undergoes a prolonged fermentation of about 20 days in stainless steel tanks and, after pumping the wine over the cap and the alcoholic fermentation is over, the new wine is decanted in large capacity Slavonian oak casks. The wine matures in wood for about 4 years and is suitable for prolonged ageing in bottle.