Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate (magnum) 2009

Not Rinaldi's finest hour. The 2009 Brunate carries a slightly roasted, over-ripe edge to its fruit, and the structure is softer than you'd hope from this producer, signs that the vintage's heat left its mark. It's a pleasant enough drink, and to its credit, it opened up through the course of an evening, shedding some of that heavy fruit character as it aired. Still, compared to what Rinaldi can achieve in a cooler year, this falls short. Drink now and over the next few years rather than cellaring further.