Barolo Brunate
This wine comes from the vineyards of “Le Brunate”. The Brunate Cru lies in the villages of Barolo and La Morra, facing south-east. Here you can find the old farmhouse ‘La Brunata’ that has been part of the winery since the early days. This is one of the most important Crus in the municipalities of Barolo and La Morra. The Brunate Cru is known for producing Barolos that are austere and intense wines, full and well-balanced, with a delicate, elegant bouquet.
Appellation: Barolo DOCG, Brunate
Type: Red, dry
Varietal: 100% Nebbiolo (Michet and Lampia)
Color: Ruby garnet red with slightly orange highlights after aging.
Bouquet: Vibrant and bold, the nose is packed with dried rose petals, violets, cherry blossoms, crushed rock, fresh fennel, leather, and aniseed root earthiness.
Taste: Savory, seamless, finely textured, and harmonious. Lovely tension, taught tannins, and piercing, ethereal Barolo purity.
Alcohol: 14-15% (varies with vintage).
Serving Suggestion: Serve at a 16-17°C (61-63°F) in a tall, fairly wide goblet.
Pairing: Red meat, braised meats, game and most any cheese – especially a pecorino with truffles.
Production Area: In the municipalities of La Morra and Barolo.
Elevation: 300 meters (1,000 ft) a.s.l.
Exposure: Southeast. Only vineyards in the hills with suitable slopes and orientations are considered suitable for production.
Vine: Nebbiolo Michet and Lampia.
Training System: Guyot.
Soil: Clayey with a mix of blue marl, tuff and sand. This soil is also called Tortonian and it allows for great drainage.
Total Area: 2 hectares.
Age of Vines: Planed from 1979 - 1981.
Yield: 3.5 tons per acre
Harvest: Middle of October.
Vinification: Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with an automatic pump-over system for a period of 25-30 days.
Aging: The wine is refined for at least three years in large-capacity (5,000 liters) Slavonian oak barrels.
2011 Barolo Le Brunate - 93 Points – Vinous Media (Dec. 2015)
“Readers won't find much of the early appeal of the 2011 vintage in Rinaldi's Barolo Brunate. A big, super-sized Barolo, the Brunate is packed with huge dark fruit and equally imposing tannins. The ripeness of the vintage is evident. This is one of the most closed, brooding 2011s I tasted. It will be interesting to see what more time in bottle brings, and especially if a greater element of Brunate typicity emerges over time." ~ Antonio Galloni
2010 Barolo Le Brunate - 94+ Points – Vinous Media (Sept 2014)
“The 2010 Barolo Le Brunate is the most dynamic and textured of these wines. Dark cherry, plum, smoke and violet notes flesh out in a firm, muscular Barolo endowed with tons of classic Brunate nuance. The flavors are intense, dark and bold. Balsamic overtones develop in the glass, adding further shades of nuance and complexity. Today, the brunate is reticent and austere. Readers who can wait will be rewarded with an exquisite Barolo." ~ A.G.
2010 Barolo Le Brunate - 92 Points – James Suckling (Aug 2014)
“A clean, fruity wine with blueberry, dried strawberry and floral character. Full body, integrated tannins and a clean, fresh finish. Crisp orange peel undertones. Tight and solid. Needs two years to soften."
2009 Barolo Le Brunate - 94 Points – James Suckling (Dec 2013)
“There's a clarity of fruit in this wine with a perfumed and aromatic quality that is delicate and sensual. Full body, silky and refined tannins and a long, caressing finish. Balanced and beautiful. Brunate is the vineyard of 2009 vintage. Better in 2016."
2009 Barolo Le Brunate - 90 Points – Vinous Media (Oct 2013)
“The 2009 Barolo Le Brunate is a huge, powerful wine endowed with tremendous structure. Readers will have to be patient with this hulking Barolo. Tar, dried flowers, plums and leather all flesh out in a big, broad-shouldered Barolo with a lot of density, but less in the way of site-specific detail, at least today.” ~A.G.
2008 Barolo Le Brunate - 94 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#203 Oct 2012)
"The 2008 Barolo Le Brunate is quite a bit richer, deeper and more powerful than the Cannubbio, as one might reasonably expect. Here the fruit boasts tons of pure resonance and stuffing while never losing its essential classicism. Plums, black cherries, leather, tar and licorice meld together, supported by firm yet beautifully integrated tannins. The 2008 Brunate is an explosive wine just waiting to emerge. When it does, it should be striking. Actually, it already is. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038. It is great to see a continued focus on quality at this historic, family-run estate." ~A.G.
2007 Barolo Le Brunate – 91+ Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#197 Oct. 2011)
“The 2007 Barolo Le Brunate is the alter ego to the Cannubbio. Here the fruit is dark, mysterious and totally captivating, with balsamic notes of spice and menthol that develop in the glass. There is wonderful depth and clarity in the glass, not to mention considerable heft, but all within the context of traditionally-made Barolo. The finish is long, pure and austere in the best of senses. Once again, the combination of traditional winemaking with a contemporary approach to the vineyard management, and cellar cleanliness has yielded a wine of exceptional purity. Readers who enjoy firm, age-worthy wines will want to put this high on their shopping lists.” ~A.G.
2006 Barolo Le Brunate – 95 Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#192 Dec 2010)
"The 2007 Barolo Le Brunate is a dark, seductive wine loaded with vibrant dark fruit. The wine needs quite a bit of time in the glass to find its center, but over time the fruit becomes expressive and darker, mentholated notes begin to emerge, adding complexity. As delicious as this is, it doesn’t quite reach the level of the 2006. There appears to be just a hint of newer cask here as well, but I don’t think that is too big of an issue. That said, neither of the two bottles I tasted was totally convincing.” ~A.G.
2005 Barolo Le Brunate – 91 Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate (Oct. 2011)
“The 2005 Barolo Brunate is very similar to the Cannubbio in that it is essentially fruit-forward in its expression of fruit. Here the aromas and flavors are a touch darker as one might expect from the Brunate vineyard. Sweet menthol, spices licorice and minerals linger on a long refined finish. I continue to be impressed with the wines that are emerging from this historic winery. The Barolos in particular show far more harmony and elegance than was once the case.” ~A.G.
2004 Barolo Le Brunate – 92 Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#179 Oct. 2008)
“There is motable clarity and detail to be found in the 2004 Barolo Brunate. The wine possessed lovely density and richness, with very typical balsamic aromas and flavors hat swirl around the dark fruit. This shows terrific purity and balance yet the firm style will require quite a bit of patience.” ~A.G.
