The 2010 releases from Barolo took the fine wine world by storm, just at a time when connoisseurs and collectors were looking to champion a new region after falling out of love with Bordeaux and its pricing misery. The wines were fantastic from all over the Piedmont region, from east to west, combining concentration, power, classism, balance and age ability.

Then 2011 was to Barbaresco, what 2010 was to Barolo, really putting a number of top producers on the map with extremely fine Nebbiolo expressions. Piedmont was on the ascendancy. 2012 was a ripe, fruit forward, opulent, fleshy, earlier drinking vintage across the region, giving consumers wines they could drink before their 2010s or 2011s. Then came the 2013s, thankfully another cracker of a vintage, especially for Barolo, to help satiate the never ending consumer demand.

This week tasted through the whole range of Barolos from one of my favourite producers, Francesco Rinaldi. The wines may not be as famous or as sought after as Giuseppe Rinaldi, but the elegance, perfume, and ethereal purity that Francesco Rinaldi wines display, make them highly prized by Barolo as well as Burgundy lovers.

My absolute favourite has to be their Le Brunate Cru, from a 2 hectare parcel in the communes of Barolo and La Morra. South east facing with clay soils, the vines were planted from 1979 to 1981. Wines are fermented in stainless steel and concrete and then aged in 2000 and 5000 litre Slavonian oak barrels for at least three years.

Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Le Brunate Barolo 2013, 14 Abv.
Brilliant ruby garnet colour, this is certainly a wine with ethereal, perfumed majesty. Youthful and bold, the nose is packed with liquid minerals, wet chalk, and crushed granite nuances that melt into notes of dried rose petals, parma violets, cherry blossoms, crystallised cherries, fresh fennel, and aniseed root earthiness. The palate is seamless, finely textured, and harmonious severe with ripe powdery grippy mineral tannins, balanced by intense maraschino cherry, cranberry, and sour red plum fruits. The Nebbiolo power married with Burgundian style finesse, fragrance, and freshness make for a supremely attractive wine. Lovely tension, taught tannins, and piercing, ethereal purity, this is one hell of a wine. Drink from 2018 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)