2011 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Sangiovese Grosso - 750ML
Reg: $499.00
$409.00
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REVIEWS

WE 96 DC 94 VN 94 W&S 94 WS 93 JS 92 WA 92
WE 96

Wine Enthusiast, May 2017

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...
DC 94

Decanter, February 2018

Biondi Santi decided to keep both the 2013 Brunello and 2012 Riserva an additional year in bottle before release. Therefore, the current releases are the 2012 Brunello and the 2011 Riserva. The latter is only made in...
VN 94

Vinous, March 2017

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...
W&S 94

Wine & Spirits, April 2018

A warm summer yielded this rich and opulent 2011 Riserva. Only fruit from the estate’s oldest vines (some up to 80 years of age) makes it into this bottling, and that old-vine concentration shows in the wine’s dense...
WS 93

Wine Spectator, January 2017

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...
JS 92

jamessuckling.com, November 2016

Aromas of plums and light caramel and hazelnuts. Full body, a solid core of fruit and chewy tannins. A little dusty now. Need a couple of years to soften. Try in 2018.
WA 92

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, February 2017

The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva makes a bold and more articulate statement (compared to the 2012 Annata wine released at the same time). That extra year of aging has contributed to more powerful aromas of dark...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Sangiovese Grosso
Country Italy
Region Tuscany
Sub-region Brunello di Montalcino
Vintage 2011
Size 750ML
Percent alcohol 13.5%
Closure Cork

The prestige of Brunello del Greppo dates back to the 19th Century with the story of Clemente Santi who began making wine using 100% Sangiovese. He passed on his wine knowledge to his nephew Ferruccio Biondi Santi, who, after the phyloxera in the second half of the 1800s, isolated a clone of Sangiovese that gave birth to wines of extraordinary longevity. In 1888, Ferruccio produced the first bottle of Brunello di Montalcino from this clone.

The entire estate includes 47 hectares of land, but only 25 hectares are dedicated to plantings of Sangiovese Grosso. The oldest vines, totaling 5 hectares, date from 1930-1970. Only the best grapes are destined to the production of Biondi Santi Brunello - those from vineyards at least ten years old are for the Annata, and those at least twenty-five years old for the Riserva. Marled soils with heavy stones have been always preferred by the family with southern, southeastern, eastern, northeastern and northern exposure. The yield per hectare is kept low at 3-5 tons per hectare. Current production rarely exceeds 80,000 bottles, including about 10,000 bottles of Riserva made only during exceptional harvests.

Franco Biondi Santi, oenologist, learned the subtle art of vinification from his father, and has continued to run the Greppo Estate, with its unequalled collection of Reserve bottles. He has increased the production of Brunello del Greppo from the 4 hectares cultivated until his father’s death, to the current 25.

The future continuity of Greppo is represented by Franco’s two children: Jacopo, with his vivid imagination in relation to wines (firmly convinced of the typical character of Brunello del Greppo), and Alessandra (involved in promoting the estate).

Introducing the magnificent 2011 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, a wine that epitomizes the essence of Sangiovese Grosso. Hailing from the renowned region of Tuscany, Italy, this red wine is a true masterpiece that exemplifies the craftsmanship and passion of the Biondi Santi winery.

The wine pours a deep, captivating red color, captivating the eye with its intensity and allure. With an alcohol percentage of 13.5%, it showcases the perfect balance between power and elegance. Encased within a classic cork closure, this wine signifies tradition and the meticulous care taken in its production.

On the nose, this Brunello Riserva enchants with an alluring bouquet of wild berries, roses, baking spices, and a touch of chopped herb. The aromas are beautifully integrated, enticing the senses and setting the stage for an unforgettable tasting experience.

The palate of this wine is a testament to the winery's finesse and expertise. It gracefully combines ripe fruit with a bright, elegantly structured frame. Juicy wild cherries, crushed raspberries, and a hint of black tea dance on the tongue, while polished tannins and fresh acidity provide a seamless structure. The wine's flavors are further enhanced by subtle white pepper and a touch of black tea, adding complexity and depth.

Critics have showered this wine with praise, with Wine Enthusiast awarding it an impressive 96 points. They describe it as "beautifully balanced," with a promise that the best is yet to come. Wine Spectator also lauds this wine, bestowing it with 93 points and highlighting its supple and harmonious nature. Vinous, on the other hand, awards it 94 points, noting its richness, density, and youthful chewy tannins.

Decanter, in their review, praises the warm vintage characteristics of this wine, noting its precocious character and charming richness of fruit. They describe its aromas with evocative terms such as "exotic black tea" and "new furniture polish." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awards it 92 points, highlighting its bold and articulate statement, as well as its potential for improvement with age.

Overall, this 2011 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a wine that encapsulates the essence of the region, the varietal, and the winery itself. It is a wine that deserves a place in any wine enthusiast's collection, promising years of enjoyment as it continues to evolve and mature.