Rinaldi 2019: Barbera with Dark Fruit, Real Structure and None of the Usual Softness
Marziano Abbona’s Rinaldi 2019 comes from a dedicated Barbera vineyard in Monforte d’Alba, where the soils are built on the Lequio Formation, with calcareous marl, sand, silt and clay. The site sits roughly between 320 and 400 metres with predominantly west and southwest exposure, giving Barbera enough sun for concentration while preserving the acidity that defines the grape.
This is not a light, juicy Barbera designed only around freshness. Rinaldi has always been one of Abbona’s more structured interpretations, combining ripe fruit with oak maturation and a firmer palate than many entry-level Barbera d’Alba. The 2019 has now had enough time for that structure to settle, and today the wine shows a more convincing balance between dark fruit, acidity and the savoury side of bottle age.
The Basics
- Producer: Marziano Abbona
- Wine: Rinaldi
- Vintage: 2019
- Appellation: Barbera d’Alba DOC
- Grape: 100% Barbera
- Vineyard: Rinaldi, Monforte d’Alba
- Altitude: Roughly 320–400 metres
- Exposure: Mainly west / southwest
- Soils: Calcareous marl with significant silt and sand
- Vineyard size: Around 3.2 hectares
- Training: Guyot
- Fermentation: Stainless steel, with skin contact
- Yeasts: Indigenous
- Malolactic fermentation: Completed in oak
- Ageing: Oak followed by further settling in steel and bottle
- Alcohol: Around 14–14.5% for the 2019
- Current stage: Mature, still fresh
The estate’s current technical profile confirms spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, skin contact in temperature-controlled steel, full malolactic fermentation in oak and several months of wood maturation before steel and bottle.
Appearance
Deep ruby with the first garnet tones beginning to appear at the rim. The colour still feels concentrated and youthful for a seven-year-old Barbera, which fits both the vintage and the naturally deep pigmentation of the variety.
Nose
The nose starts with black cherry, blackberry and ripe red plum, then moves toward liquorice, sweet spice and a faint balsamic note. With air, the fruit becomes less obvious and a more savoury layer emerges, with dried herbs, cedar and a touch of tobacco.
There is still some oak influence, but it is much better integrated now than it would have been in the first years after release. The wine feels ripe rather than jammy, and the high natural acidity keeps the aromatic profile from becoming too heavy.
Palate
The palate is full, fresh and distinctly Barbera. Dark cherry and blackberry dominate the opening, followed by plum, liquorice and a light savoury edge through the middle.
The important point is acidity. Rinaldi has enough fruit and body to feel substantial, but the wine never loses the sharp internal line that makes Barbera so recognisable. Tannin is moderate rather than aggressive, and the oak has rounded the texture without blunting the grape’s natural energy.
At this stage, the wine is broader than a simple Barbera d’Alba but still much livelier than a heavily extracted red. The best feature is the way ripe fruit and acidity now feel fully integrated rather than competing.
Finish
Long and slightly savoury, with sour cherry, blackberry, liquorice and sweet spice fading into a dry, fresh close. A faint mineral and balsamic character remains after the fruit, giving the finish more definition than weight.
Ready to Drink?
Yes. The 2019 is in a very good drinking phase now.
The fruit remains healthy, the oak has settled and the wine has gained enough secondary character to feel more complete than it did in youth. It should continue comfortably through roughly 2029–2031, assuming good storage, but there is little reason to wait if you want to catch the wine while the fruit is still prominent.
Serving and Decanting
Serve at 16–17°C.
A short decant of 20–30 minutes is enough.
A medium-large red-wine glass works well, allowing the fruit and spice to open without making the alcohol feel broader than it is.
Food Pairings
Rinaldi 2019 needs dishes with richness but also enough acidity or savoury depth to meet the wine’s freshness. Try tajarin with sausage ragù, finanziera piemontese, or braised veal cheek with Barbera and root vegetables.
For cheese, choose Bra Duro, Castelmagno and Parmigiano Reggiano 30 months. Their salt and mature savoury character fit the wine’s dark fruit and oak-polished structure without flattening its acidity.
Price and Value
Current European retail for recent vintages sits around €18–€22, while remaining 2019 bottles have appeared in roughly the same bracket when available.
At around €20, this is very good value for a single-vineyard Barbera from Monforte with meaningful oak ageing and real bottle-development potential. It delivers more structure and longevity than many similarly priced Barbera d’Alba, without moving into the much more expensive territory of top Barbera Superiore bottlings.
What Defines Rinaldi 2019
The defining feature is the contrast between Barbera’s natural acidity and the vineyard’s greater-than-average concentration. The Rinaldi site gives the wine enough fruit and structure to handle oak, while the grape prevents that richness from becoming static.
