The 2012 Riserva is the last vintage produced by Franco Biondi Santi, and so this release is dedicated to him. Of the 39 Riservas the estate has produced since the first one in 1888, Franco oversaw 24 of them. 2012 is considered a warm vintage, more dry than hot and with an advanced harvest on 10 September: quite early for a Sangiovese from higher vineyards in Montalcino. The age of the vines has helped to give the wine outstanding complexity. It shows the typical freshness of Biondi Santi with red currant, pomegranate and orris root aromas, becoming more austere on the palate...

Produced with fruit from the estate’s young vines (less than ten years old), this Rosso is firm, its flavors of cherry and raspberry gripped by cool, ferrous tannins. The flavors flesh out with air to reveal notes of savory herbs and cherry tomato that balance the fruit tones, but this will benefit from a few years of cellaring.

Il Greppo's 2015 Rosso di Montalcino is absolutely gorgeous. Sweet tobacco, dried red cherry, cedar, rosemary, mint and anise give the Rosso lovely aromatic complexity, but it is the wine's body and resonance that stand out most. A wine of real stature and depth, Biondi-Santi's 2015 Rosso is all class, not to mention a real overachiever in my tastings and a rare Rosso that delivers the goods big time. Sadly, it won't come cheaply.

This is the year dottore Franco Biondi Santi would pass away, leaving the Brunello appellation orphaned because he was its most beloved and respected paternal figure. A wine shaped very much in his memory, the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning edition, with a tight inner core of wild fruit and natural acidity surrounded by elegant tones of blue flower, wild cherry, cured tobacco, balsam herb and camphor ash....

Delicate scents of rose, wild berry, crushed herb and a whiff of new leather mingle together in the glass. On the linear palate, taut fine-grained tannins support dried cherry, orange zest, star anise and a hint of green tea before a rather drying finish. Drink after 2020.

As Biondi-Santi is holding back their 2012 Riserva for another year, the estate is instead re-releasing two older Riservas from diverse vintages. The 2006 is the more muscular expression, hailing from a particularly warm, dry year. Almost 13 years after harvest, this is still closed and takes time for some cellar scents to blow off. It combines base notes of dark, wet earth with more lifted orange zest and wild strawberries...

Due to the late start and generally cool conditions in 2013, harvest began at the end of September at Biondi-Santi, just slightly later than the average. The wine has been held back over a year longer than the denomination regulations and released in March 2019. Still embryonic and reserved, dark floral scents of violet and lilac gradually emerge before notes of sage and thyme take over. The tangy acidity of the vintage comes through brilliantly.

Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this stunning red still shows the estate's hallmark of elegance and structure, opening with enticing scents of rose, iris, wild red berry and a whiff of new leather. The vibrant palate is dazzling and almost ethereal, delivering flavors of succulent red cherry, pomegranate, star anise and a hint of forest floor. Taut, polished tannins and

Luminous bright pale red. The inviting nose offers redcurrant, sour red cherry, licorice, flint and violet aromas. Then slightly richer and riper than the flinty-floral nose suggests, with musky flavors of red fruit and sweet spices complicated by hints of loam. Closes long, musky and smooth.

" ... notes of black cherry and umeboshi plum layered with iodine, basil and smoke. The tightly packed flavors need time to unfold, so it’s best to decant this several hours before serving."

“An elegant rendering of sangiovese ... floral scents ... flavors of red cherry ... acidity and polished-iron tannins ... notes of tarragon and licorice with exposure to air, maintaining impeccable balance and purity of fruit on the long finish."

The supple texture is pervaded by cherry, currant, graphite, tea and underbrush aromas and flavors. Firm tannins and vibrant acidity provide support as this cruises to a long aftertaste. Not imported in the U.S. Best from 2020 through 2033.

A supple, harmonious red, showing some softening, with cherry, leather and wild herb flavors well-integrated into the lacy structure. Reveals a lingering essence of sweet fruit, black tea and graphite on the finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.

“The supple texture is pervaded by cherry, currant, graphite, tea and underbrush aromas and flavors. Firm tannins and vibrant acidity provide support as this cruises to a long aftertaste.”

“A supple, harmonious red, showing some softening, with cherry, leather and wild herb flavors well-integrated into the lacy structure. Reveals a lingering essence of sweet fruit, black tea and graphite on the finish.”

“Beautifully balanced, this opens with alluring scents of wild berry, rose, baking spice and whiffs of chopped herb. Seamlessly combining ripe fruit and the firm's trademark finesse, the bright elegantly structured palate delivers juicy wild cherry, crushed raspberry, white pepper and a hint of black tea framed in polished tannins and fresh acidity. It's already tempting but the best is yet to come.”

“Underbrush, ripe berry, new leather and Mediterranean herb aromas slowly take shape in the glass. Showing youthful tension, the vibrant palate delivers red cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and pipe tobacco notes framed by bright acidity and taut, refined tannins. It already shows great balance and finesse but is still young and tight.”

“Bright red. Fresh, complex aromas of sweet red berries, pomegranate, sour red cherry, orange peel, violet and brown spices. Bright and juicy, with building density and multilayered flavors of sour red cherries and raspberry, complicated by a hint of peach. Finishes long and clean with strong mineral and floral nuances. This is an extremely fruity and remarkably ready to drink Brunello for this property, known for tough as nails wines when young that normally require lots of patience. Still, despite its obvious upfront charm, this has real structure and depth and will age well. Easily one of the top three Brunellos of the vintage.”

“Dark red. Musky nuances give way to brighter red fruit, licorice and herbal aromas. Rich and dense, with flavors of red cherry and minerals lifted by hints of orange peel and bergamot, not to mention noteworthy but harmonious acidity. Finishes long with youthfully chewy tannins and lingering hints of violet…”

“It's always such a pleasure and an honor to be in front of a bottle of Biondi-Santi. These wines deliver a sense of history and tradition that puts them into a very elite group of Italian icons. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Annata shows a medium garnet color with pretty ruby highlights. The bouquet emits dark fruit, cassis, balsam herb, tar and cola. This vintage shows the classic aromas that are associated with the venerated Il Greppo estate … Following rigorous tradition, this wine is aged in large Slavonian oak casks for three years. Some 50,000 bottles are produced.”