8 Vintages of Biondi Santi Riserva 1975-2015
Tasted Sunday, April 3, 2022 by Cailles with 209 views
Introduction
Tasted at the Matter of Taste Event in Zurich
Tasted Sunday, April 3, 2022 by Cailles with 209 views
Tasted at the Matter of Taste Event in Zurich
2015 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Medium- intense nose with quite ripe fruit, minerality, herbs. On this nose the balance between sweet fruit and earthy elements is better than in the other vintages. Same profile on the palate with ripe, red dark berries, some blue berries, lots of minerality, herbs. Very high freshness, a bit acidic, the tannins are a touch furry. Overall this is good but without any exceptionalism. A touch of creaminess, the complexity and the quality of tannins are not on par with the best fine wines. 92 pts
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2012 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Subtle dark berries, red berries, smoke, ash, crushed graphite. On the palate fine red berries, all so fine, red fruited, fresh and pure, again smokey minerality, earthy notes. What sets this apart from many Sangioveses is the lightness it has. This weightless feel combines well with the still slightly angular, masculine profile of the wine. Overall this has a magnificant balance thanks to this bright acidity and drinks already quite well today. It doesnßt have the complexity of the very best fine wines and I donßt think it can ever achieve that. But it is still a beautiful wine. 93+ pts.
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2010 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Intense, Bordeaux-esque nose with dark berries, lots of minerality, some bretty notes, some blue fruit. All very soft and subtle but still clearly delineated. Inviting. On the palate this show quite similar with dark and blue fruit, all very fine and pure. Lots of minerality, ash. Exceptional concentration without losing the sense for elegance and finesse this wine is about. I like it a lot. Other commented on it to be a bit closed and muted. I didn‘t think so., yes it’s a touch tight but you still get a sense of substance and potential greatness. 94 pts. The complexity is not there to reach the 95+ pts category.
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2007 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Chiseled nose displaying dark fruit, lots of graphite minerality, fine balsamic notes. Quite good. On the palate this shows very elegant with fine, noticeable tannins, lots of concentration with lots of earthy notes, lots of crushed rocks, with more fine red fruits, almost floral notes together with some darker berries building a good balance. The freshness is great, round and perfectly integrated high acidity. 93pts, doesn‘t have the complexity to get to the 95+ pts category.
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1998 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Again, lots of minerality mixed with a darker fruit core, which on the palate get brighter by the minute. But it‘s all about the minerality, herbal and earthy components. With time a touch of faint sweetnes comes in but overall it misses a touch of fruit sweetness to be totally harmonious. The tannins have nicely melted without any step down in vivacity and tension. High and well-integrated acidity. Again here, this is all about finesse. 92 pts.
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1995 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Very subtle nose of dark fruits, tobacco hints, earthy notes, blue fruits, a bit St. Julien, masculine expression. On the palate this is very round a fine, it‘s all about the finesse and freshness again, with not the right amount of complexity to truly excite. The finish is impeccable and long-linering with lots of herbs and minerality. 91 pts
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1985 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Very dark and dense on the nose, again driven by dark fruit and an earthy minerality. On the palate this shows just not enough fruit to be truly balanced, it is all about an earthiness, all about minerality, some herbs. Some darker fruit core in the background. Some hints of meat too. The tannins have nicely rounded out but are still not molten, acidity is high but perfectly integrated. This is a concentrated, structured wine which comes with a certain finesse but not the balance and sweetness to be truly great. 92 pts.
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1975 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Great opportunity to learn about Biondi Santi and taste 8 Riserva vintages with technical director Frederico Radi. I see why people are intrigued by these wines: they are all about finesse and freshness, with high quality tannins (which still require long ageing to fully melt) and a high and but high quality acidity. Puristic but austere. I don‘t think the balance and the complexity are up there with the best fines wines. And I don’t find enough (or much) hedonistic charm in these wines (there is not enough fruit, especially considering that you should to age these wines 30, 40, 50 years). Don‘t get me wrong, these are good wines just not on the level one would expect given the reputation (or market prices).
TN: Slightly old nose with a bit of dried fruit, tobacco, herbs. On the palate this shows a nice freshness and vivacity, a nice creaminess, finally melted tannins (only wine in the series), Fine red berries, minerality, earthy notes, herbs, nice sweetness. But it shows not the most desirable mix of fresh fruit, mineralit/earthy notes and teritary notes, the best mature wines have. It seems that once the tannins finally melt, not enough fruit is still around. Medium+ length and a good balance. 92 pts
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