2004 Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera

The 2004 Barolo Cannubi/Ravera is unusually dense and structured in this vintage. The telltale Cannubi bouquet is there, but the fruit reveals the darker side of this site, while the influence of Ravera is felt in the wine's vibrant, firm tannins. With air, the wine grows, as layers of fruit flow from its rich, harmonious frame. This is another unqualified success from Giuseppe Rinaldi. As always this bottling presents a more feminine style than the Brunate/Le Coste.

The 2004 Barolo Cannubi/Ravera is unusually dense and structured in this vintage. The telltale Cannubi bouquet is there, but the fruit reveals the darker side of this site, while the influence of Ravera is felt in the wine’s vibrant, firm tannins. With air, the wine grows, as layers of fruit flow from its rich, harmonious frame. This is another unqualified success from Giuseppe Rinaldi. As always this bottling presents a more feminine style than the Brunate/Le Coste. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. “Beppe” Rinaldi is one of Piedmont’s most iconic producers. Historically his bottles have been hard to find because they are mostly sold to private individuals rather than the trade, meaning that large lots are nearly impossible to come by. These are among the most natural, unmanipulated wines being made anywhere. At times past vintages have shown some rough edges and excessive amount of volatile acidity, but those traits seem to belong to the past, as today’s wines are cleaner and better made. My recent visit was illuminating as I tasted everything in barrel from vintages 2004 through 2007. The rigorously traditional style is alive and well in these cellars. The wines are fermented in an open-top wood vat using natural yeasts. Temperature is not mechanically controlled. The wines see a longish fermentation/maceration and are aged in cask. Although Rinaldi has changed out a few barrels recently, the only concession to anything resembling modernity is an old-fashioned rotary telephone, which seems to genuinely annoy him each time it rings. Yields here have never been particularly low but the trend towards warmer growing seasons has resulted in beautifully ripe and fragrant fruit, particularly in recent years. One of things I admire most about Rinaldi is that he just goes about his business as he always has. He doesn’t give a hoot what I, or anyone else for that matter, thinks about his wines, and that suits him just fine. Prices have barely budged since I began visiting years ago. Rinaldi told me he thought generally pricing had gone out of hand. “It is, after all, just wine,” he said. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907

Excellent deep red-ruby color. The nose began a bit reduced, then opened spectacularly to show red berries, black licorice, chestnut, brown spices, truffle, mocha and minerals, along with a suggestion of surmaturite Less obviously fleshy than the Brunate but already quite expressive despite its rather primary cherry fruit, with snappy acidity accentuating the wine's inner-mouth floral character. The tannins here are chewy, ripe and wonderfully suave for so-called old-style Barolo. I find this utterly compelling. Cannubi becomes more floral with aging and gains in length, says Rinaldi, while the Brunate takes on a stronger tar-and-chocolate character. (Rinaldi then popped a magnum of his '98 Cannubi, and the wine showed an incredible nose of truffle, dried flowers, iron and mocha; an elegant, silky texture like a maturing grand cru from Burgundy but with more power; flavors of raspberry, truffle and smoked meat; and a fine dusting of tannins. I rated this bottle 96 points, and Rinaldi assured me that the 2004 won't be as good as this!)