A Tribute to Beppe Rinaldi at NoMad
Barolo Brunate Riserva Retrospective: 1978-2010
BY ANTONIO GALLONI |
Barolo has lost many of its older guard over the last decade or so. But Beppe Rinaldi's passing last summer somehow felt different, almost as if it signified the end of an entire chapter in the history of Barolo. That, along with the rarity of the wines gave this retrospective a real feeling of emotional gravitas. The wines were truly spectacular, but as so often happens on nights like this, the shared moments were even more special.
Beppe Rinaldi, affectionately known as ‘Citrico’ for his acerbic wit, was born on September 17, 1948. Originally trained as a veterinarian, Rinaldi took over the family estate only upon the passing of his father, Battista, in 1992. Rinaldi championed all of the tenets of the traditional school of Barolo, chief among them the steadfast belief that Barolo should be made from the blending of multiple vineyards, a view shared by his cousin, Bartolo Mascarello. He was also an outspoken critic of what he viewed as over expansion within the Barolo region, both when it came to projects he did not think were respectful of the bucolic atmosphere of the Langhe hills, such as the Boscareto Hotel (which he dubbed an ‘eco-monster’) and the increase of plantable hectares of Nebbiolo for Barolo. Rinaldi’s passions extended far beyond wine. He was equally candid when it came to politics and other social issues, enormously refreshing in today’s world of extreme political correctness.
Beppe Rinaldi in his cellar in Barolo
Two years ago, in London, we hosted a vertical tasting of Rinaldi Barolos that will forever remain one of the most unforgettable nights of my life. Feedback from that event was incredibly positive, so, of course, I had to see what we could do to top it. The launch of our new Rare Wine Dinner series as part of La Festa del Barolo seemed like the perfect occasion to celebrate Rinaldi’s life and career, while taking a look at three generations of the family’s history. Daughters Marta and Carlotta Rinaldi, who run the estate today with their mother Annalisa, were on hand to share numerous colorful anecdotes and their thoughts on the wines.
Almost all of the Barolos in this tasting were the exceedingly rare Riserva Selezionata Brunate (often labeled with one of several variants), a wine that is no longer commercially available. Readers will find more detail on the Rinaldi family’s history and the Riserva in my article Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Retrospective: 1990-2010, which chronicles the London tasting. In short, the Rinaldis produced a Riserva from their holdings in the Brunate cru for many years up until 1993, when Beppe Rinaldi decided to blend fruit from Brunate and Le Coste into a single Barolo. At that point, the Brunate Riserva became a private bottling for personal consumption by the family. Honoring a longstanding tradition, the Rinaldis continued to offer a small amount of the Riserva to a single collector whom I have had the great privilege of sharing many fabulous wines with over the years and who was gracious enough to sell me these very precious bottles. Specifically, the 1978, 1982, 1984 and 1990 Riservas were all released to the market, but the 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Riservas in this tasting are all wines that were never sold commercially. I don’t own any bottles of the 2004 or 2006, so for those two vintages we served the Brunate-Le Coste version.
A few words on labeling and nomenclature are in order. In general, Rinaldi uses their classic lyre label for magnums shipped to the United States, while the scarab label is typically used for magnums shipped within Europe. On the lyre label, the Riserva is most commonly named Riserva Selezionata Brunata (note the final ‘a’), with a neck strip, while the Riserva delle Brunate Riserva Speciale designation is found only on magnums with the scarab label. In practical terms, every wine in this tasting is the Brunate Riserva, with the exception of the 2004 and 2006, which are instead Brunate-Le Coste.
Multimedia: A Conversation with Carlotta and Marta Rinaldi" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1552061079185-image+%283%29.png">
Barolo has lost many of its older guard over the last decade or so. But Beppe Rinaldi’s passing last summer somehow felt different, almost as if it signified the end of an entire chapter in the history of Barolo. That, along with the rarity of the wines gave this retrospective tasting a real feeling of emotional gravitas. The wines were truly spectacular, but as so often happens on nights like this, the shared moments were even more special.
