Biondi Santi - Rosso di Montalcino 2020

The estate was founded in the mid-19th century by Clemente Santi, a pharmacist and naturalist who healed bodies during business hours and nurtured the soul by crafting wines in his spare time, He bought the now-famous Tenuta Greppo and was intrigued by the idea of crafting wines for long-term drinking rather than short-term profit. Through innovative methods that included racking and barrel-aging, he created Italy's first Brunello di Montalcino in 1888, gaining immediate praise for the vintage. After tending to the estate for nearly 50 years, Clemente eventually passed ownership to his grandson, Ferruccio Biondi, who combined his last name with his grandfathers to create the now iconic name, Biondi Santi. 

Once Ferruccio passed away in 1917, his son, Tancredi, took over the estate and cared meticulously for the vineyard. He ensured that past vintages were stored away safely and even had the foresight to lock away older vintages in a secret cellar before World War II. And, despite his incredible efforts to boost the status of Biondi wine, it was his son, Franco, who helped the estate's fame skyrocket to international levels. Thanks to global promotions of the wine and tastings for the immaculately aged drinks, Biondi-Santi reached unprecedented levels of success entering the 1980s.

Located southeast of Montalcino, Biondi Santi's vineyard, Tenuta Greppo, has seen many transformations throughout the estate's storied history. Tenuta Greppo began as a small 4-acre vineyard, then was later upgraded to 25 acres of 100% Sangiovese. It was the brilliance of Ferruccio who created Fontodi's unique grape, Brunello Biondi Santi, better known as BBS11. He cloned the most pristine Sangiovese vines on the vineyard, then replanted Greppo with these clones. In doing so, he allowed the Brunello di Montalcino to have a taste unique to Biondi's vineyards, giving them a competitive advantage over rivaling estates.

At harvest, the grapes displayed a perfect balance between fruit, tannins, and acidity. Traditional red wine vinification at controlled temperatures. Aged 12 months in Slavonian oak.

"The Biondi-Santi 2020 Rosso di Montalcino is a very expressive and generous wine with perfumed aromas of softly fragrant heritage rose, violet, redcurrant and rosemary essence. Those herbal notes come out nicely in this vintage, and there is elegantly chalky tannin to close. This vintage saw rain in June and higher temperatures later in the summer. This wine is drinking beautifully now and offers a pleasantly immediate drinking style." - 94 Points, Wine Advocate

"Displays cherry, strawberry, floral and black pepper flavors. Though on the elegant side, this bright, juicy red offers firm tannins and a peppery finish." - 90 Points, Wine Spectator

Producer: Biondi-Santi

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Varietal: Sangiovese

Appellation: Rosso di Montalcino

Vintage: 2020

Size: 750ml