Barolo Boys Special: Brunate Cru

Brunate is located between La Morra and Barolo in the area of Tortonian calcareous marls, which promote softer, less structured wine.

Mostly SE aspect, and slopes slightly so there are three different bands of altitude, between 400-450, 300-400 and 250-300. The producers with vines at the higher end are more modernist in style, and in the lower part the winemakers are more traditional. This tasting starts with the lower and moves to the upper part.

Brunate's typical characteristics include light garnet colour, pronounced rose/pomegranate and sweet tobacco aromas, light body (esp on the mid-palate), small grainy tannins, high alcohol, high drinkability – it’s a wine you drink with the nose.

• 2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Plot at 310m, 36 mos in big botte.
  
  Very pale colour. The nose is so tobacco-ey at first, with rich cherry, herbs, leather and smoke; with air the notes become more floral and almost medicinal. It's stunning and intoxicating - one of those wines one would gladly dab as perfume.
  
  More dark cherry on the palate, and a combination of savour and brightness that brings to mind tomato juice. Plenty of tannin at the back end, but so well-managed that it doesn't distract. Elegant and dances across the palate.
  
  Young, obviously, but you can feel the purity and quality - score is as at today but will surely increase.

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• 2016 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo Le Brunate 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Plot at 280m, 36 mos in big botte. His plot is slightly more south-facing than G Rinaldi’s, and he uses shorter maceration = darker colour, more drying tannins.
  
  A brighter and slightly darker colour than wine #1. Some sweetness here, especially on the nose, but again there's tobacco, and more darkness and herbal savour – burned meat, yeast extract. Tannins are prominent and drying for a second or two, but then quickly overwhelmed by the fruit and forgotten. Really grown-up wine, with plenty of potential.

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• 2016 Ceretto Barolo Brunate 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Plot at 250-400m, big botte for 36 mos, but malolactic is carried out in tonneaux. Ceretto has a big holding in Brunate.
  
  Pale colour again, but feels more full-bodied than the traditionally-made wines. You can feel the oak here, there’s a lactic quality to it. Some tar but the fruit comes through with air. Darker fruit – on the cassis spectrum. Strong tannins. Tasty but lacks character compared to #1 and #2. I much preferred the 2016 Bricco Rocche (tried a few weeks ago).

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• 2016 Marcarini Barolo Brunate 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Plot at 320m, big botte for 24mos
  
  Shy on the nose, slightly medicinal and very earthy with a bit of volatility and rubber coming through. Feels quite tucked-up on the palate, but with air there’s some rose and sweet strawberry, though it feels like it needs coaxing out, like a cat hiding in the undergrowth. Pure and may blossom with time.

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• 2016 Vietti Barolo Brunate 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Exact altitude of Vietti's vines is unknown as Vietti would not tell! 30 mos in mixture of barrique and big botte
  
  Darker in colour than the other wines. Another really grown-up wine. Earthy and austere, with lots of dark fruit to chew on. Tomato leaf and mixed spices come through with air. Tannins are very well-managed – lots of them, but super-sleek. Great balance although as it warms you can feel the alcohol. Savoury flavours come through and the wine would love a steak. Probably more impressive than lovable.

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• 2016 M. Marengo Barolo Brunate 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Plot at 400m, barrique for 24mos
  
  Very concentrated, but retains freshness thanks to the vintage. Acidity and tannins are soft compared to the other wines – already very approachable. White pepper, lovely red fruit, a little bit soapy. Tastes good, but in a rather anonymous/international style.

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The description of the cru given at the beginning seemed to match perfectly with the G Rinaldi wine, which was exemplary also of Barolo in general - a wonderful wine that I would love to try once mature.

Although I enjoyed the other wines tonight, I wouldn't rush to buy any of them: F Rinaldi and Vietti were just too dark in tone, although clearly of high quality; Marcarini felt as though it had been carbonized like Han Solo; and the Ceretto and Marengo were a bit boring.