2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Freisa Langhe

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 90 points

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  2/28/2022 - forceberry wrote: 89 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. 13,5% alcohol.
  
  Quite youthful and somewhat translucent black cherry color. Quite solar yet still pretty seductive and characterful nose with brooding aromas of licorice, ripe red cherries, some perfumed wild notes of brett, light fragrant notes of medicinal herbs, a little bit of volatile lift, a hint of brambly raspberry and a touch of fresh blackberry. The wine is surprisingly wild, funky and even quite sauvage on the palate with flavors of bretty leather and horse stable, ripe cherry tones, sunny notes of raspberry marmalade, some phenolic spicy tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light lifted notes of VA, herby hints of both dried aromatic herbs and more bitter medicinal herbs and a touch of game. The acidity feels medium-to-moderately high in acidity, whereas the ample, ripe tannins slowly pile up on the gums, gradually turning the wine rather grippy. The finish is long, grippy and somewhat funky with ripe yet dry and savory flavors of phenolic spice, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of licorice root, light brambly notes of black raspberries, a lifted hint of VA and a bretty touch of barnyard.
  
  Although brett isn't that uncommon in Rinaldi's wines and they often have a somewhat wild, funky edge to them, this vintage of their Freisa seemed surprisingly sauvage and rustic even for a Rinaldi wine. The overall feel is quite impressive, tasty and structured, but the wine is still a bit clumsy, surprisingly bitter and rather rough around the edges. Good stuff, but not at the level of best Rinaldi Freisas. I hope additional aging might grant the wine with some finesse that it is lacking at the moment.

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  2/19/2022 - jrick Likes this wine: 90 Points

  This came across as more rustic than what I am used to from Rinaldi’s non-Barolo wines, there was some show polish volatility. But never more than what I can tolerante and sometimes even appreciate. Tar, rose petals and iron, but also a fresh fruit underpinning it, a bit darker, black cherry and currant. The tannins are mature, they provide structure but not obstruction. A good wine, a nice drink.
  
  Edit: on day two I started to like it better, seemed tö have shed the volatility to a large extent af showed more of the fruit rather than the savoury notes. This will golf up well with more age I think.

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  5/19/2021 - gilrbo Likes this wine:

  Not much evolution yet, still fresh and vibrant. A pleasure to drink this.

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  6/30/2020 - cct wrote: 91 Points

  forest berry and ripe cherry fruit, violets, tar, and licorice on the nose. Ripe fruit, and floral on the palate, with the tar and savory notes adding to the whole. It does show the vintage character, but in this case I think it helps the variety. Medium bodied with snappy, crunchy fruit with good underlying acidity. It has fine tannins for Freisa, but still a little chewy around the edges. This has more finesse than most fresia and has a great mix of fruit, acid, soil and savory notes. This is my preferred style of fresia, and alongside Fabio Alessandira's is my favorite Freisa. Drinking at peak. Delicious with a hamburger and fresh tomatoes tonight. 91

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  4/27/2017 - LW31 wrote:

  Hard to love just now--lots of volatile acidity, tannic on palate. Didn't really budge even after 30-40 min of air. Would let bottles rest of a few years and then revisit.

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