Wine Advisor
Biondi Santi, Brunello di Montalcino 2013
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Description
The Biondi-Santi flagship wine, the Brunello di Montalcino embodies the spirit of Tenuta Greppo and the signature style of our winemakers, forged over 150 years of history with its balanced combination of fresh elegance, depth and aristocratic personality.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Luminous bright pale red. The inviting nose offers redcurrant, sour red cherry, licorice, flint and violet aromas. Then slightly richer and riper than the flinty-floral nose suggests, with musky flavors of red fruit and sweet spices complicated by hints of loam. Closes long, musky and smooth.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
This is the year dottore Franco Biondi Santi would pass away, leaving the Brunello appellation orphaned because he was its most beloved and respected paternal figure. A wine shaped very much in his memory, the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning edition, with a tight inner core of wild fruit and natural acidity surrounded by elegant tones of blue flower, wild cherry, cured tobacco, balsam herb and camphor ash. This vintage displays a beautiful garnet color that shines in the glass followed by mid-weight concentration and an especially fresh and vibrant finish that lasts for many long minutes. This wine should be held in the cellar for at least ten more years.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is a fascinating red that evolves wonderfully with air from leather, mushroom and dusty aromas to dried flowers and plums. Medium body. Firm and lightly chewy tannins with intense acidity. Traditional, as always. Decanting recommended. Drink or hold.
About the Producer
The history of the estate dates back to 1840, when Caterina Santi, the daughter of the Santi family, married Jacopo Biondi of the Biondi family, and the two families' premises were merged. The two families merged and began to cultivate the grapes and make the wine that became Château Biondi. The winery was later taken over by Ferruccio Biondi Santi, son of Caterina and Jacopo, who officially changed the name of the estate to Biondi Santi. The Brunello variety is essentially a clone of Sangiovese, but is larger, more tannic and produces a more layered wine. The complexity and elegance of this variety, which is suitable for long-term ageing, makes it a masterpiece of Italian fine wine. The vineyards of Biante Sandi are located at the highest altitude in the hills of Montalcino, with frequent fog on the hillside, which gives them the advantage of not only very good land but also altitude. All Brunello di Montalcino wines are made from grapes sourced from vines that are over 10 years old (25 years old for the Reserve) in the vineyard. After fermentation, the wines are first stored in Slovenian oak barrels for three years and then aged in the bottle for six months before being released for sale.
