Barisone (Rinaldi) Barolo 1971

S

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
Barisone Barolo 1971
The wine shop Barisone purchased barrels from Francesco Rinaldi and labelled them to sell as their "house" Barolo. And as expected from anything associated with Rinaldi this is lovely old school Barolo! IIRC, Barisone also purchased Barolo from Rinaldi in 1974 and 1978.

This was recently labelled but the cork was shrivelled and tiny and pretty much soaked through. I have never had a bottle with this much sediment, about 1,5cm of thick sludge on the bottom of the bottle. I had it upright for a week, but still, though I decanted carefully, the wine was somewhat cloudy. But that didn't matter since the aromas were fantastic: pretty stereotypical tar and something floral but I don't think it was roses. Quite rugged and not really elegant but veering towards a rustic style, still slightly tannic and with lively acidity and a wonderful mature fruit. At least this particular bottle would have had years and probably decades left in it. Lovely wine. Drink and hold -type of stuff.
 
I drank a bottle of this over the past two days. Alas, it was not in such good shape as Otto's. The nose started and remained very sharp, stewy, and with the powerful twang of maderization. The palate, however, started better and improved on the second day: lushly sweet, more fruit leather than fruit, tender tannins, a very light whiff of tar, good texture. Not a bad performance but not a good one, either. So it goes, at 43 years out.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I drank a bottle of this over the past two days. Alas, it was not in such good shape as Otto's. The nose started and remained very sharp, stewy, and with the powerful twang of maderization. The palate, however, started better and improved on the second day: lushly sweet, more fruit leather than fruit, tender tannins, a very light whiff of tar, good texture. Not a bad performance but not a good one, either. So it goes, at 43 years out.
Click to expand...

This was a pop and pour?
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
Barisone (Rinaldi) Barolo 1971Barisone Barolo 1971
The wine shop Barisone purchased barrels from Francesco Rinaldi and labelled them to sell as their "house" Barolo.
Click to expand...

Not barrels, I believe, but glass demijohns. Thus accounting, perhaps, for more freshness.

Also, I have had a 1967 Barisone Barolo. It was unclear at the time if it came from Francesco Rinaldi, but it doesn't seem out of the question. Rugged and deep.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I drank a bottle of this over the past two days. Alas, it was not in such good shape as Otto's. The nose started and remained very sharp, stewy, and with the powerful twang of maderization. The palate, however, started better and improved on the second day: lushly sweet, more fruit leather than fruit, tender tannins, a very light whiff of tar, good texture. Not a bad performance but not a good one, either. So it goes, at 43 years out.
Click to expand...

This was a pop and pour?
Click to expand...

Three hours decant ahead on Day 1. Day 2 was, indeed, the next day.

Is it more appropriate to decant a day ahead? I'm always a little nervous about doing that when the wine is old because I don't want to miss the window of opportunity (if it comes soon).
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
...the powerful twang of maderization. The palate ... improved on the second day
Click to expand...

Always surprised when exposure to air mitigates damage resulting from exposure to air.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
Barisone (Rinaldi) Barolo 1971Barisone Barolo 1971
The wine shop Barisone purchased barrels from Francesco Rinaldi and labelled them to sell as their "house" Barolo.
Click to expand...

Not barrels, I believe, but glass demijohns. Thus accounting, perhaps, for more freshness.
Click to expand...

Correct, I remember having read about these bottles at the Rare Wine Co website. Link below. My question: when was the wine moved from the demijohns to the smaller formats? It would be interesting to know.

Loading…

www.rarewineco.com

edit: and only the '71 seems to have been from Rinaldi.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I drank a bottle of this over the past two days. Alas, it was not in such good shape as Otto's. The nose started and remained very sharp, stewy, and with the powerful twang of maderization. The palate, however, started better and improved on the second day: lushly sweet, more fruit leather than fruit, tender tannins, a very light whiff of tar, good texture. Not a bad performance but not a good one, either. So it goes, at 43 years out.
Click to expand...

This was a pop and pour?
Click to expand...

Three hours decant ahead on Day 1. Day 2 was, indeed, the next day.

Is it more appropriate to decant a day ahead? I'm always a little nervous about doing that when the wine is old because I don't want to miss the window of opportunity (if it comes soon).
Click to expand...

Each bottle is different but what you are describing is pretty much the classic Lazarus of old Barolo. Firmer vintages (71, 78) sometimes require more time.
 
originally posted by Tristan Welles:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
Barisone (Rinaldi) Barolo 1971Barisone Barolo 1971
The wine shop Barisone purchased barrels from Francesco Rinaldi and labelled them to sell as their "house" Barolo.
Click to expand...

Not barrels, I believe, but glass demijohns. Thus accounting, perhaps, for more freshness.
Click to expand...

Correct, I remember having read about these bottles at the Rare Wine Co website. Link below. My question: when was the wine moved from the demijohns to the smaller formats? It would be interesting to know.

Loading…

www.rarewineco.com

edit: and only the '71 seems to have been from Rinaldi.
Click to expand...

That may be, but I definitely had a 1967 Barisone. So there was definitely some being turned out prior to 1969.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Is it more appropriate to decant a day ahead? I'm always a little nervous about doing that when the wine is old because I don't want to miss the window of opportunity (if it comes soon).
Click to expand...

Each bottle is different but what you are describing is pretty much the classic Lazarus of old Barolo. Firmer vintages (71, 78) sometimes require more time.
Click to expand...

Vintage generalization to the rescue!

Sigh.

Well, hope springs eternal. If I wait too long next time and the flavor vanishes, then I'll swing my pendulum back the other way.

(Really, in order to have enough wine to taste at various intervals I suppose I should go looking for 40-year-old magnums.... Ha!)
 
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