Wine Advisor
Biondi Santi, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2013
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Description
Produced for the first time in 1888, the Biondi-Santi Riserva was the first Brunello di Montalcino in history, and even today it is an extraordinary event when a new vintage of Riserva is announced at Tenuta Greppo, the Biondi-Santi main estate. Renowned for its extraordinary longevity, this rare wine has been released only 40 times from 1888 till today and each production is extremely limited. Riserva is traditionally produced with grapes coming from only the oldest vineyards, of more than 25 years of age.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A fresh, linear 2013 with cherry, mushroom and cedar character. Lots of blue fruit as well. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, polished tannins and a creamy finish. Still very tight, this needs time to open if you want to drink it now, Try decanting two or three hours in advance. Best after 2024.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The Biondi-Santi 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a stunning wine from all points of view. Seamless integration and elegant complexity are what stand out, and it's worth dedicating a few extra lines to the aromatic depth that is put so beautifully on display as the wine slowly unfolds. The bouquet starts off with wild cherry, earth, wet ash, crème de cassis and pruny chocolate. With extra time, there are hints of dried tobacco leaf, sandalwood and mossy forest floor. These lead to a fine tail of dried herb, bay leaf and a touch of rusty nail. The Riserva comes in numbered bottles, and I opened number 04277. To the palate, the wine is streamlined and silky with smooth tannins and a well-managed 13.5% alcohol content. The oak presence is reduced to a minimum, offering mild hints of spice and the delicate sandalwood or dried fig aroma I described above. Fresh acidity is the glue that gives the wine buoyancy and staying power. At this young stage, this 2013 vintage could be considered a bit shy or slow to start, but this will play out to great advantage in the long term as the wine continues its bottle evolution.
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva blossoms in the glass in a display of understated power mixed with purity. This unfolds more like a whisper than a shout, wafting up with a delicate bouquet of fresh violets, lavender and a dusting of shaved cedar and clove. With time, it deepens further, pulling you down to earth with aromas of wild strawberry and underbrush. The textures are like pure silk gently draped across the palate, but what they leave behind is a more engaging and classic mix of salty mineral tones and tart red berries, all lifted by juicy acidity. This then takes another turn, now toward the savory spectrum, as wild herbal and inner earth tones mix with a fine layer of sweet tannin to create a youthfully austere yet not overtly structured expression, leaving a nuance of tobacco to linger long. The 2013 presents an intriguing interpretation of the Biondi Santi Riserva, one that shrugs off the grippy, gruff, almost rustic tannins of the past in exchange for a more youthfully harmonious expression. Will it age? Maybe not for 50 years, but considering that this beauty was open and tasted over the course of three days, I"m convinced that it will be thrilling for the next few decades to come.
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.
