Francesco Rinaldi

The Francesco Rinaldi winery, based in the Barolo commune itself, is one of the most esteemed names in the appellation for the beautiful, elegant and powerful Barolo wines. The Rinaldi family name brings with it a lot of history, now in the fifth-generation family winemakers, sisters Piera and Paola run this world class, 11-hectare estate.

The Barolo village is one of the 11 villages that make up the Barolo wine growing area. Towards the south of the appellation, the wines produced here sit in a perfect medium between the powerful and structured wines of communes to the east, and the ethereal and perfumed wines of the communes to the west. There has been a divergence of opinion in Barolo over the past few decades, with winemakers split between a modern approach using small oak barriques to speed up development and impart flavour, and traditionalists who prefer to respect the methods of the past, with long maceration times and ageing only in large, old casks. Francesco Rinaldi are one of the core proponents of this traditionalist method, and we thank them for it.

Their production style, expressed beautifully in the Francesco Rinaldi Barolo 2016, is one of simplicity and honesty, allowing their wonderfully grown Nebbiolo grapes to sing in complete harmony in the glass. It is bright and lifted, with an abundance of elegant red fruit character. There are intriguing earthy notes too and a floral side that appears towards the finish, which is balanced, persistent and complex.

The Francesco Rinaldi family are fortunate to have vineyards in two of the most prized areas in the Barolo a, Cannubbi and Brunate and we look forward to sharing these with you when they are available. Certainly wines for the cellar but that will deliver something very special when you decide to drink.

The Rinaldi production extends far beyond Barolo too, their Gavi is a round, fruity example of the wine that has many fans in the UK for its versatility. We also love their Dolcetto which is a soft, round and plummy red from the same hill as the Cannubi Barolo – it’s juicy, with lots of charm and a great Friday evening wine. For a case of Barolo from Francesco Rinaldi, look no further than Sociovino.