Francesco Rinaldi Roussot Dolcetto 2006
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From the original cellar with vaults, the work started by Giovanni has been enhanced year after year by his descendants with extension works in the winery at the hand of Luciano and Michele, sons of Francesco Rinaldi, in the sixties. More recently conventional processing in the cellar has been completed with modern technology, optimizing work but at the same time making sure to preserve the uniqueness of our wines. The result is a modern cellar with a traditional taste for meditation. After pressing and fermentation where grapes become wine in a fast and continuous transformation process, the precious liquid moves on to the ‘halls of silence’; cellars dug in the hill, where our Barolo is left to age in Slavonian oak barrels. It’s here that the tale of a grand wine is written; it’s right here where the heart of the winery Francesco Rinaldi beats. A winery where one can sense the family’s passion focused on making the most of the values offered by the Barolo land. The bottling department and warehouse were transferred to Alba in the thirties, a lucky deed by Francesco Rinaldi because the main transport system for bulk goods of those days, the train, had its terminus there.
An easy drinking red with soft fruity flavors—but catchy tannins, Dolcetto is often enjoyed in its native Piedmont on a casual weekday night, or for apertivo (the canonical Piedmontese pre-dinner appetizer hour). Somm Secret—In most of Piedmont, easy-ripening Dolcetto is relegated to the secondary sites—the best of which are reserved for the king variety: Nebbiolo. However, in the Dogliani zone it is the star of the show, and makes a more serious style of Dolcetto, many of which can improve with cellar time.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.