2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Freisa Langhe

Community Tasting Notes (11) Avg Score: 89.1 points

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  2/28/2022 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points

  100% Freisa from the Ravera cru situated between the comunes of Barolo and Novello. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks, aged for 8-9 months in old oak botti casks, bottled with minimal SO2. 13% alcohol.
  
  Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent pomegranate color. Sweet, rich and somewhat mature nose with nuanced, slightly restrained aromas of wizened red cherries, some strawberries, a little bit of dark raisiny fruit, light volatile notes of medicinal ether, a medicinal hint of sappy herbal spice and a sweet touch of ripe black cherry. The wine is ripe, silky and rather wild on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with somewhat funky flavors of juicy cherries and bitter sour cherries, some bretty notes of new leather, a little bit of ethery volatile lift, light sweet notes of ripe strawberries, a hint of dark forest fruits and a touch of balsamic VA. The medium-plus acidity is a bit on the soft side, so the structure relies mostly on the ample and quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, ripe and somewhat wild with quite pronounced tannic grip and rich flavors of sweet strawberries and juicy black cherries, some wizened dark berries, a little bit of bretty leather and Band-Aid, light volatile nuances of medicinal ether and a hint of sour cherry bitterness. There's a touch of acetic roughness in the throat towards the end of the aftertaste.
  
  I've had this vintage once before - 5½ years ago - and back then this wine seemed more harmonious and less volatile. Although the wine is both pleasantly characterful and quite muscular due to its still quite assertive tannins, the fruit department seems to have given way a bit to the elevated levels of VA, which lend an ethery lift to the aromatics and a faint acetic touch to the taste. Although it was obvious that there was some VA when I tasted the wine earlier, now it had emerged more to the fore, making the wine feel a bit out of balance than before. This is still a good and enjoyable wine, but I don't get the feeling that this wine had improved in the past five years. It's hard to say whether there was just bottle variation and we didn't win this time, or if this wine is evolving in a direction I really don't like.

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  12/11/2020 - JWG wrote: 91 Points

  A remarkable freisa with 8 years on it. Still fresh and bright on the nose and palate. I don't think I would be likely to tell this from a lower level Rinaldi nebbiolo, although the brightness does seem to place it somewhat outside the norm of their nebbioli. On the palate lively fruit and firm acidit that keeps it lively. Delicious.

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  8/13/2020 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:

  I bought a 4 pack of different Rinaldi freisa vintages and this was the 3rd of 4 (09,11 previously consumed). All 3 bottles thus far have been highly enjoyable. The nose is fragrant with spring flowers, mint and herbs, red cherries, forest floor, tar, and tobacco. Very reminiscent of nebbiolo for me. The palate is still young and a little tight with tannic structure that needs food to allow pleasure. There is still upside from here for sure, but with food it is plenty enjoyable now. I would buy these again for sure if I can find for sub-$40.

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  12/24/2019 - acidqueen wrote: 90 Points

  Bright color, medium body. Crisp cherry fruit. High acid. Still held back by its tannins so I would give it more time in cellar. Wish I had more. Great food wine.

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  2/24/2018 - nadecesse wrote: 90 Points

  Du beau fruit rouge sombre un peu mentholé, c'est profond, intense et supporté par des tanins maintenant plus assouplis mais toujours fermes. Avoir eu la patience, j'aurais du attendre quelques années encore tellement le vin semble avoir du potentiel. Malheureusement ma dernière bouteille. 90-91+

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