Wine Advisor
Biondi Santi, Rosso di Montalcino 2019
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Description
A wine of fruit and vibrancy, the Biondi-Santi Rosso paves the way for the Brunello. For Biondi-Santi, the Rosso has always been a special wine, following a specific idea of making a red wine which reflects the signature style of our high-altitude vineyards with a vibrant freshness and a structure, which permits the wine to age, but which is driven by a distinct fruity character and is thoroughly enjoyable at a young age. Traditionally, the Rosso is produced from our youngest vines, and from those vineyard plots which underline the fruitiness. It is fermented in cement vats and has an ageing in oak which is shorter than that of the Brunello, 12 months. This wine was originally known as the Biondi-Santi Brunello “white label”, but became the estate’s Rosso in 1983, when the Rosso di Montalcino DOC was established.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
The 2019 Rosso di Montalcino keeps me coming back to the glass to take in its dusty mix of dried strawberries and currants offset by lifting nuances of shaved pine and mint. Soft and round in expression, the 2019 impresses on its lush textures and vivid wild berry fruit. Through it all, a core of saline tension builds, mingling minerals with gentle tannins, as the 2019 finishes with a staining of concentration, yet maintains a lovely freshness.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
This flight of three Biondi-Santi wines starts off on the right foot thanks to the pristine bouquet and lively fruit of the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino. This is the entry-level wine (although the price point certainly suggests otherwise). It shows very detailed and chiseled aromas of wild cherry, cassis, dried violet, rust and orange skin. The wine carries a strong structural frame; however, the mouthfeel is ethereal and light notwithstanding.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Aromas of sliced citrus, cherry and flowers follow through to a medium body, with creamy tannins and crunchy fruit at the finish. Lovely combination of fruit and acidity. Very drinkable now but will age nicely.
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.
