Barbera Francesco Rinaldi Piedmont 2021

Description

The traditionalist estate of Francesco Rinaldi e Figli is one of the greatest names in Piemonte. Located in the town of Barolo itself, the estate 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 cellar 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 Rinaldi. They continue to make beautiful wines within the great traditions of Barolo, avoiding new oak, preferring long macerations, and aging in large Slavonian oak prior to bottling.

Francesco Rinaldi's Barbera d'Alba is a rich, ruby red colour with a purple hue. The aromas mirror the flavours on the palate, with delicious ripe red fruits of plums and sour red cherry. The bright acidity keep the ripe fruit from being too juicy and ensures the wine stays precise and well-poised but with a good roundness, whilst the tannins are soft and there is a lovely earthiness and hint of forest floor flavours on the long finish which add another layer to the flavour profile.