It is a rare phenomenon that a wine can trace its origins to a single man. Brunello di Montalcino, however, owes its existence to Ferruccio Biondi-Santi and its fame to his family. Now on the seventh generation of winemakers, the Biondi-Santi family continues to produce wines renowned for their elegance and extraordinary longevity. Located in the heart of Montalcino, the Tenuta Greppo estate spreads over 25 hectares of vines on soils rich in heavy stones and marl – perfect for the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso. Defenders of rich enological heritage, the family continues to employ traditional vinicultural methods that started well over a century ago to highlight the wine’s unique characteristics or tipicita.
Located just two miles from the town of Montalcino, Il Greppo sits on a 47-hectare parcel of land. The oldest vines on the property are over 80 years old, dating back to 1930. In 1988, Franco Biondi-Santi started an enormous undertaking in the vineyard, eventually increasing plantings from 4 to 25 hectares. He planted the vines on steep terraces, using the natural contour of the hills to create an amphitheatre, setting Il Greppo’s cellar at centre stage. The soils, rich in stony marl known locally as galestro, are ideal for the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso. Dry, warmer weather typically leads to a September harvest. Noted diurnal shifts ensure the characteristic aromas and acid levels that lead to the expressive, long-aging Brunellos typical of the estate.
Thanks to the meticulous cultivation and clonal selection of the different generations, the Brunello Biondi-Santi, or BBS11, became an officially recognized and registered clone – the first to be named after a single producer.
98+ Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The Biondi-Santi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is initially a reticent wine and one that does not immediately subscribe to the overstated abundance and exuberance of the vintage. Give it time. I wrote this review after several tastings over several days so I could ensure a more accurate account of the wine’s elegant reveal. Contemplative and exceedingly nuanced in personality, with wild berry, underbrush, ferrous earth and candied orange peel, this has everything to look forward to in terms of its future evolution in the bottle. It displays a pretty ruby color that borders on garnet and polished copper. A silky, mid-weight palate is accented by beautifully managed and silky tannins (this aspect of the mouthfeel is extraordinary), bright freshness and long-lasting fruit momentum. The alcohol is a bit more powerful in this release (at 14.5%), but the effect is supple and smooth nonetheless.
97 Points Vinous
The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva pulls you close to the glass with a deep and seductive display of black raspberry preserves complemented by sweet sage, dried roses and pipe tobacco. With further coaxing, it gains in volume and lift, taking on hints of mint and camphor. This greets the palate with undeniable elegance, casting velvety waves of violet-tinged wild berries and sweet spices across a motivating core of juicy acidity, as a subtle coating of round tannins forms toward the close. While structured and incredibly long, energy remains high, as nuances of cherry pits offset by sour citrus and hints of cedar fade. It’s amazing to experience such energy and purity from a young Biondi Santi Riserva. As pretty as the Annata released last year was, I worried that the extended aging for the Riserva might rob the wine of some of its fruit; instead it is the complete opposite, as this contains the depth and complexity of the best wines of the vintage. I can’t wait to see how the 2015 matures over the next several decades.
97 Points James Suckling
Complex yet pure, subtle and refined nose that gently evolves, with mossy red cherries, dried roses, chalk, tar and dried orange peel. There is a lift of clove and eucalyptus that makes it so distinctive. A powerful, medium-to full-bodied Brunello, but seamless and bright, with a fine, transparent mid-palate and restrained, mineral austerity. Understated complexity that will need time to bloom.