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).

The flagship Biondi Santi Brunello, the Annata, is produced from vines between 10 and 25 years old and is aged for 36 months in Slavonian oak casks. With incredible longevity, Annata can age from 20 to 40 years. To allow the flavor to fully unfold, Biondi Santi recommends opening and allowing the wine to aerate for several hours before drinking.

The 2017 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino is a noteworthy red wine made from Sangiovese Grosso grapes, originating from the esteemed Brunello di Montalcino sub-region in Tuscany, Italy. This vintage is notable for its balance and refinement despite the challenging weather conditions of the growing season.

Jeb Dunnuck awards this wine a high score of 96, noting its surprising freshness given the warm vintage. He describes it as "refined with ripe red cherry, raspberry, anise, and incense," and praises its medium frame, well-managed tannins, and balanced acidity. Dunnuck finds it "lovely and charming," suggesting it will be best enjoyed from 2024 through 2040.

Vinous, with a score of 93, remarks on the wine's "grace and refinement," highlighting exotic spices, wild strawberries, and worn leather. Eric Guido acknowledges the edginess of the tannins due to the warm and dry conditions but praises the balance maintained. He commends the wine as a successful effort for the vintage, especially given Biondi Santi's extended barrel aging practices.

Wine Spectator gives the wine a score of 94, describing it as a "fresh, energetic red" with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, iron, and rosemary. The review emphasizes the wine's assertive tannins and balance, recommending it will be best from 2025 through 2043.

James Suckling also rates the wine highly at 96, pointing out its "sweet berry, orange peel, cedar, bark and forest flower aromas." He finds the wine to be "crisp and vivid," with linear and fine tannins. Suckling notes its subtlety and freshness, suggesting it will benefit from a few more years of aging, with peak drinking starting in 2026.

Monica Larner from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate echoes the high praise with another score of 96. She highlights a "delicately sweet note of fresh summer cherry," and describes the wine as resilient despite the hot and dry growing season. Larner praises the wine's silky tannins and lingering flavors, calling it "immediately pleasing."

The Wine Independent also gives the wine a 96, lauding its "lightly fragrant oak nose with notes of cream and vanilla and cherry." The review appreciates the wine's finesse, flow, and fine texture, noting a slight grippy dryness in the tannins.

Overall, the 2017 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino is a highly acclaimed wine, celebrated for its balance, refined complexity, and impressive aging potential despite the challenging vintage conditions.