Giuseppe Rinaldi | Barolo "Brunate" 2012 (Magnum 1.5L - Rare Beetle Label)

In 2012 the new Barolo rule let Rinaldi fold only 15 percent of Le Coste into Brunate, and this magnum carries the result under the stag-beetle label.

The label reads Barolo D.O.C.G., Brunate, 2012, bottled by the grower at origin, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo, 150 cl at 14% vol. On its left a pink stag beetle climbs a rose branch, the Gianni Gallo drawing that Ken Vastola's Fine Wine Geek register says Rinaldi kept mostly for European releases and magnums; here the vintage is printed, not hand-written. Vastola's 2012 page records the recipe: Brunate fruit with 15 percent Le Coste, both inside the commune of Barolo, the ceiling allowed from 2010, when the old Brunate-Le Coste bottling became illegal and the rest of Le Coste moved into Tre Tine.

Inagaki Shoten, the estate's Japanese importer, sets out the cellar routine: wild-yeast fermentation in the open wooden tini bought in the grandfather's day, no temperature control, hand punch-downs, at least 30 days on the skins, then 40 months or more in Slavonian oak botti. Only copper and sulphur are used in the vineyard; Brunate takes the full southern sun where Le Coste faces east. Beppe Rinaldi, as the importer quotes him, held that Barolo was never meant to please easily, that it has corners rather than roundness and needs time. He died in September 2018, just short of seventy; Marta and Carlotta run the 8 hectares now.

The season, in Tom Hyland's report for Wine-Searcher, began with a cold, snowy winter and a cool spring, ran medium-hot through summer with one short August heat spell, then cooled in September; the Nebbiolo came in during the first two weeks of October, around 20 percent below a normal crop. Pietro Ratti called 2012 the first of a cool trio. Bruce Sanderson (Wine Spectator, October 2016, as quoted by Farr Vintners) put the Brunate at 550 cases.

In the glass

Jeb Dunnuck (as quoted by SommPicks), tasting thirteen years on with Marta Rinaldi at the estate, gave 96: still bright red, licorice, bright cherry, fresh flowers and toasted spice, tannins refined but still coiled, a long mineral finish. Othmar Kiem (Falstaff, November 2016) also gave 96, finding raspberry, saffron, peach compote and thyme over layered tannin. Antonio Galloni (Vinous, via SommPicks) gave 94, dark and brooding yet approachable young; Walter Speller (JancisRobinson.com, May 2016, via Farr Vintners) scored 17+ and called it Burgundian in style.

When to open

Dunnuck's window runs 2025 to 2045 with no rush for well-stored bottles; Sanderson gives 2018 to 2035. Our suggestion: in magnum, decant two hours, serve at 17 C.

At the table

Our suggestion: brasato al Barolo, roast guinea fowl with porcini, or tajarin with white truffle.

Quick facts

Provenance

Sourced from the Japanese importer.

Sources: Bottle label; Inagaki Shoten (Japanese importer); Fine Wine Geek (K. Vastola); Farr Vintners; SommPicks; Falstaff (O. Kiem); Wine-Searcher (T. Hyland); Tuscany; Casa del Vino