Cellar Favorite: 2010 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 30, 2024From the moment I opened this bottle, I knew we were in for
a treat. A wine of mind-blowing complexity, Rinaldi’s 2010 Barolo Brunate
is everything Barolo can be—powerful, refined, seductive, intensely aromatic,
structured and so incredibly beautiful that words seem inadequate.

Great wines have so much power. Chief among them is the uncanny
ability to transport us to all sorts of times and places.&nbsp; As I tasted the 2010, memories of so many
visits with Beppe Rinaldi flooded my mind. And not just about wine. It’s the
collection of meticulously restored vintage motorcycles, the Barolo corkscrew,
old cellar tools and then so many topics beyond wine, his love of the opera,
literature and the history of his beloved Langhe, often punctuated by a
wickedly dry sense of humor and jokes that today would no doubt be considered
politically incorrect. I think of all the visits where Rinaldi’s mind wandered
to other subjects for what seemed like interminable spans of time before we
tasted a drop of wine. Tasting with him was a cultural experience first and
foremost.

Today, Rinaldi’s daughters, Marta and Carlotta, make
gorgeous wines. But they are their wines. The 2010 Barolo Brunate is Beppe
Rinaldi’s wine. It opens with soaring notes of rose petal, iron, coffee, mint,
white pepper, melted road tar, spice and orange peel. Youthfully tannic and
structured, the 2010 has softened a bit since its very early days, but it
remains quite young. The obvious question is: Is it ready? Yes and no. Readers
who have a bottle or two may want to wait another five years or so. Those fortunate
enough to own a little more may want to dip into their stash. One thing is
certain: Beppe Rinaldi’s 2010 Barolo is an absolute masterpiece, a testament to
a brilliant career. There are no more Barolos like this. Today’s wines are
different. Not better or worse, just different. 99/2025-2045© 2024 Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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