Wine Advisor
Biondi Santi, Brunello di Montalcino 2015
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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.
The sunny character of the 2015 Brunello speaks of a warm vintage with sweet, yet fragrant fruit, not at all opulent, sporting prominent notes of fresh cherries, typical of high-altitude Sangiovese. The fruit arises delicately from a bed of aromatic herbs such as thyme and rosemary with hints of liquorice root. On the palate the captivating structure reveals silky tannins backed up by the usual sensation of freshness that is instrumental for the fine balance which lies at the heart of the Biondi-Santi tasting experience. The finish is long and surprisingly savoury, adding to the gastronomic personality of this Brunello. For the first time in history Biondi-Santi produced this wine in 750 ml and Magnum bottles.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The Biondi-Santi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino exudes dark, velvety fruit and concentration while maintaining the signature elegance, suppleness and lithe personalty that distinguishes the iconic Il Greppo estate. I found this new release to be quite distinctive and exquisitely beautiful, setting it apart from many of the past vintages we are most familiar with. This 2015 edition is dark, exuberant and bold, but precise, focused and sharp as well. It will live for years in your cellar, but tasted now in its infancy, the wine shows blackberry, dried cherry, plum and dark cassis. Those dark fruit tones segue to a rich presentation of tar, spice, earth, tobacco and sweet balsam herb. The bouquet offers seamless and smooth transitions. This warm and sunny growing season favored richness and phenolic weight. Wines from Biondi-Santi are made for the long haul, and the fresh acidity that characterizes this estate is the principle reason why. However, I'd argue that this wine from 2015 will evolve over the years not only thanks to the freshness but more so thanks to the important structure of this solid and profound wine.
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is an understated beauty that takes some time to blossom in the glass. It’s a sweetly spiced and floral expression of the vintage, blending ripe cherries and strawberries with dusty earth, hints of sage and violets. A refreshing air of mint and lavender develops over time. It’s elegance personified on the palate, seamless and silky-smooth, with a classic and pure expression of red fruits and saline-minerals, as fine tannins slowly mount toward the close. Hints of licorice, white pepper and savory herbs linger through the lightly structured finale. While youthfully firm, the 2015 is already so enjoyable today, yet a few years of cellaring will reveal even further depths. I tasted the 2015 tasted multiple times over the course of a day and it only got better with air. Simply stunning!
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is so transparent and beautiful with clarity. Cherry, plum, strawberry, and berry character with some stone and orange. It’s full-bodied and very linear and round with balance and refinement. The tannins are fine and very powdery in texture. Excellent depth. Ripe, yet so energetic. Fresh, vivid and round. 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.
