Giuseppe Rinaldi "some of the most sought-after wines anywhere in the world. And with good reason."
Bordeaux Index
21 July 2025
Few names in Barolo command the reverence of Giuseppe Rinaldi. A fiercely traditional estate with a cult following, Rinaldi’s wines are as uncompromising as they are unforgettable. What follows is a rare chance to explore some of the greatest vintages from this legendary cantina.
“The first time I visited Beppe Rinaldi, back in the Piedmont Report days, his small estate in Barolo was only known to a handful of insiders. After my tasting, I had the chance to purchase 5 or 6 different vintages. I did the best I could on a graduate student's budget. Today, Rinaldi's Barolos are some of the most sought-after wines anywhere in the world. And with good reason. For readers who want to understand what traditional Barolo is all about, these are reference-point wines. It's as simple as that. On a strictly personal level, these are among my most treasured bottles.” Antonio Galloni
Founded by Giovanni in 1870, the Rinaldi family has been a fixture in Piedmont’s winemaking history for at least 5 generations. It was Giuseppe Rinaldi (Beppe’s grandfather) in 1918, however, who created the winery that we know today. His son, Battista, was born the same year and would go on to graduate from the Wine School of Alba before taking over the family estate in 1944, three years before his father died and four years before his son Giuseppe (aka Beppe) was born.
“Today Barolo is generally thought of as a wine informed by an artisan spirit to viticulture and winemaking, which it is. But Barolo is also deeply rooted in nobility. Those two seemingly disparate worlds collide in this small cellar in the town of Barolo, where exquisite, captivating wines will bring readers to their knees.” Antonio Galloni
Beppe Rinaldi only assumed the full running of the family estate when his father passed away in 1992 – previously he was working full time as a vet – and immediately reintroduced his grandfather’s notion of blending their six hectares of vineyards into two Barolos: Brunate with Le Coste and San Lorenzo-Cannubi with Ravera. Like his father, Beppe also bottled a single Cru Brunate but only in miniscule quantities and exclusively for the family and a handful of close friends – one of whom, the late great Gianfranco Soldera, admitted that Rinaldi’s Brunate was the only red wine (having dismissed DRC and Leroy as the devil’s swill), apart from his own (naturalmente), that he drank. Praise indeed!
“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.” Antonio Galloni
Sadly Beppe passed away in 2018 but his inimitable legacy of spectacular wines and a “traditionalist” approach to viticulture and winemaking lives on in his wines as well as in Piedmont’s new generation of Nebbiolo disciples. His two daughters, Marta and Carlotta, who worked alongside their father for over a decade, are now fully ensconced and continue his hard work to realise a collective vision of both the past and the future.
THE WINES
Barolo / Barolo Riserva: before Beppe took charge (in 1992), Battista Rinaldi, his father, blended a single Barolo from all the family’s vineyards – the Riserva was a selection of the best barrels. From the late 1960s until 1990 Battista separated a part of his Brunate vineyard to bottle a Riserva ‘Selezione Brunata’ in the best vintages – though he would often add a portion of Le Coste (up to 40%) to make what he considered a more balanced Barolo.
Cannubi-San Lorenzo/Ravera > Tre Tine: in 2010 labelling regulations changed meaning Rinaldi was obliged to rename his two wines. Thus his blend from 0.2ha of vines in the San Lorenzo sub-district of Cannubi with the estate’s 3ha in Ravera and neighbouring Rivassi vineyards morphed into Tre Tine (literally: three vats) since it now contains a portion of wine from Le Coste that can’t now all be added to his Brunate (see below). This wine is invariably the more elegant of the two Barolos and with the addition of Le Coste it has an extra structural dimension from which it has arguably benefitted.
Brunate-Le Coste > Brunate: when Giuseppe took over from his father, Battista, he reverted to his grandfather’s tradition of blending the family’s 1.2ha of Brunate with the 0.6ha holding in Le Coste (approx. 60-75% Brunate with 25-40% Le Coste). Since 2010, however, the rules mean only one MGA (Cru) can be named on the label – though the wine may contain up to 15% from another MGA – and thus Rinaldi’s Brunate now includes 15% of wine from Le Coste with the remainder forming part of the Tre Tine blend (see above). Brunate is traditionally the more powerful and denser of the two Barolos.
1970 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo – GBP 440 per bottle IB (10 bottles available)
93 points, Antonio Galloni (2021) “At first, I am shocked by the wine’s sheer richness and concentration. The intensity of the flavors is unreal. Iron, smoke, tobacco, leather, game and incense all lend gravitas to this decidedly potent, virile Barolo. I find it pretty difficult to assign a rating to a wine like this. Objectively, the aromatics are more forward than the palate impression. The 1970 is certainly not going to get better with more time in bottle. On the other hand, it is a minor miracle wines from this era have survived to the present day at all given that they were never prized up until 15-20 years ago, maximum. Readers lucky enough to come across the 1970 Rinaldi will be drinking more than just a wine. This bottle represents the history of one of the great families of Barolo and artisan values that are increasingly rare in today’s world.”
1996 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate – GBP 1250 per magnum IB (1 available)
94 points, Antonio Galloni “A big, powerful Barolo, the 1996 Brunate-Le Coste hits the palate with a rush of dark red and purplish fruit, violets, lavender and spices, all wrapped around a core of intense, searing tannins. If opened today, the 1996 needs quite a bit of air, but its explosive personality ensures there is no rush; the 1996 will drink well for a number of years, perhaps decades. This is a classic Rinaldi Barolo that is really meant to be drunk at full maturity, once the full range of tertiary notes have developed. In that sense, the 1996 might need another decade or more to be at its very best. This is as old-school as old-school gets.”
2007 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Cannubi S. Lorenzo Ravera – GBP 4800 per case of 12 bottles IB (1 case available)
94 points, Antonio Galloni “The 2007 Barolo Cannubi/S.Lorenzo-Ravera emerges from the glass with sweet dark cherries, crushed flowers, menthol and spices. It is pure seduction, with effortless layers of fruit that blossom beautifully on the mid-palate and finish. I especially like the radiance and depth of the fruit. The Cannubi/S.Lorenzo-Ravera is a touch more marked by the vintage than the Brunate-Le Coste. Still, it is a striking Barolo from Giuseppe Rinaldi that won't need too long in the cellar to offer its finest drinking.”
2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Cannubi S. Lorenzo Ravera MAGNUM, Giuseppe Rinaldi – GBP 2250 per 3 magnums IB (3 mags available)
94 points Antonio Galloni “I am curious to see how the Cannubi S. Lorenzo-Ravera is holding up. The answer is very well. Bright, linear and focused, in the style of the year, the Cannubi S. Lorenzo-Ravera is fabulous. It is perhaps a bit more austere than its sibling, but that just adds to its super-classic feel. I love the energy here. Drink 2018 – 2038.”
2014 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Tre Tine – GBP 2280 per case of 12 bottles IB (1 case available)
93 points, Antonio Galloni “The 2014 Barolo Tre Tine is nervous and tightly wound, with good precision and a bit more austerity than is the norm. Readers will have to be patient with the 2014, although I suspect the wine will always be a bit aggressive because of the effects of hail. There is good delineation to the bright red stone fruit, tobacco and floral notes. It will be interesting to see how the 2014 develops in coming years.”
2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate – GBP 2100 per case of 6 bottles IB (1 case available)
98 points, Antonio Galloni “The 2006 Barolo Brunate–Le Coste is another highlight in a night full of stunning wines. Still tannic and virile, the 2006 is also one of the most reticent Barolos of the evening. Its explosive energy and dark, balsamic profile are super-classic. Readers need to be patient, but the 2006 is everything I had always hoped it would be. Maybe even more.”
2017 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Tre Tine – GBP 2950 per case of 12 bottles IB (1 case available)
95 points, Antonio Galloni “The 2017 Barolo Tre Tine is fabulous. A wine that marries classicism with the racy personality of the year, the 2017 hits all the right buttons. It's a wine that satisfies all the senses, with more than enough to please both the hedonistic and intellectual senses. Everything about the 2017 is spot on. Bright red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, lavender and spice build into the delineated, salivating finish. As always, the Tre Tine is a bit more linear than the Brunate. In 2017, it is one of the wines of the vintage. Don't miss it.”
2018 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Tre Tine – GBP 3300 per case of 12 bottles IB (1 case available)
2018 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Tre Tine – GBP 675 per magnum IB (1 available)
94 points, Antonio Galloni “The 2018 Barolo Tre Tine is a super-classic wine. It reminds me so much of a wine Beppe Rinaldi might have made. Readers will find an austere, taut Barolo built on energy and tension more than primary fruit. It's the sort of Barolo that blossoms only with time in bottle. Spice, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, dried cherry, macerated red cherry and anise start to open with a bit of coaxing. This is an intriguing wine, to say the least.”
2018 Giuseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate – GBP 3600 per case of 12 bottles IB (1 case available)
95 points, Antonio Galloni “Rinaldi's 2018 Barolo Brunate is one of the more satisfying wines of the vintage. Austere, medium in body and classic in feel, with that extra bit of textural resonance that is such a Brunate signature, the 2018 has real potential. Dark cherry, melted road tar, tobacco, spice, menthol, sage and licorice all build in the glass. The 2018 is going to need a few years to soften and start hitting its stride, but all the ingredients are there. It's a powerhouse, that much is certain.”