Biondi Santi

For those who prefer their Brunello on the riper, more fruit-driven side of the spectrum, this two-vintage vertical promises to satisfy. Both 2009 and 2011 presented rather warm growing conditions in Tuscany, which allowed fruit to reach peak ripeness without ever losing balance. As Biondi-Santi harvests much earlier than neighboring wineries, acidity was not at all sacrificed at the estate, and an impeccable sense of freshness is still front and center in both wines. As the collection features three bottles from each vintage, we recommend tasting one of each year side by side.

Biondi-Santi’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is one of the most special wines to come out of Tuscany. First produced in 1888, this remarkable cuvée is only crafted during stellar vintages—in fact, the wine has only been produced 40 times since its inaugural vintage over 130 years ago. Fruit for this rare wine comes from vines averaging 25 years in age and is vinified in Slavonian oak barrels with native yeasts prior to aging for three years in said barrels. Post-aging, the wine is tucked away in a special dark cellar, called La Storica, the winery’s main estate, and allowed to rest until the winery deems it fit to be released. Upon market release, each Riserva wine is outfitted with ‘la lunetta’ – a special neck label that designates the number of each bottle; its release date is also handwritten on the back of the bottle.

A cuvée that pays homage to Henri Lignier, the grandfather of Laurent Lignier. Fruit for this wine comes from a 0.27-hectare plot of old vines planted in the lieu-dit of Monts Luisants by Henri in 1955. The site’s pebbly soils are worked biodynamically, and biodiversity is encouraged in and around the vines. In the cellar, 30% whole clusters were used during fermentation, which took place for 20 days in steel vats. The wine aged for 21 months in barrel prior to being bottled and sealed with wax by hand. On the palate, the wine is intense, fruit driven, and marked by supple tannins that lead to a lingering, slightly saline-tinged finish.

The estate’s roots date back to 1867, beginning with the forward-thinking Clemente Santi. Santi first introduced his barrel-aged Italian red—a revolutionary choice at the time—at the Universal Exposition in Paris, and made a serious impression on collectors and industry folk from around the world. His pioneering spirit carried down through generations, and by 1966, Montalcino officially received its appellation, much in part due to the work put in by the Biondi-Santi family. This week, we are pleased to offer seven cellar-worthy collections from Biondi-Santi, featuring the estate’s game-changing Brunello di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva wines. Biondi-Santi wines are known for their pronounced aromatics and structured, well-integrated flavor profiles. These exceptional wines have long been a benchmark for Sangiovese from Tuscany and will truly only get better upon long bouts of cellar aging—that is, if you can wait.