Judgement of Paris Tasting and Dinner (V. Mertz - Omaha, NE): Served double-blind as a sort of epilogue to an already epic night. This was served alongside another red wine that was also presented double-blind. Immediately, I called this Sangiovese from Toscano and the other from the Southern Rhone (which was later to be revealed as a 2010 Chateau Rayas). This poured a deeper garnet color with a nearly opaque core. On the nose, it smelled Italian. Tart cherries, black tea, dried herbs, dusty earth and some dried spices too. On the palate, the wine was bone dry and medium+ across the board. This came across very traditional in terms of winemaking which I found very attractive yet, this was holding something back. Almost like it was opened ten years too soon. I thought about a young Pergole Torte…then it was revealed to be a 2012 Biondi-Santi Riserva. Wow…no wonder! A lovely wine with a bright (and long) future ahead of it but I would hold these for later if I had some in my cellar. Best after 2030.
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8 Vintages of Biondi Santi Riserva 1975-2015: 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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Tasted at the Matter of Taste Zurich Biondi Santi Masterclass (8 of the 41 Riservas ever made). This was the last vintage of Franco Biondi Santi before his death. The winemaker highlighted the very challenging conditions in this hot and dry vintage.
Tasting note: Red berries and dried tomato on top of earthy base notes, just a whiff of menthol and smoke. All of this is embedded in a thin cloud of aging notes. Nice detail and delineation. Palate is a bit thin on the texture, tannin partly but not entirely integrated and pretty wild acidity. Age was clearly more perceptible on the palate than on the nose.
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5/24/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 94 Points
Judgement of Paris Tasting and Dinner (V. Mertz - Omaha, NE): Served double-blind as a sort of epilogue to an already epic night. This was served alongside another red wine that was also presented double-blind. Immediately, I called this Sangiovese from Toscano and the other from the Southern Rhone (which was later to be revealed as a 2010 Chateau Rayas). This poured a deeper garnet color with a nearly opaque core. On the nose, it smelled Italian. Tart cherries, black tea, dried herbs, dusty earth and some dried spices too. On the palate, the wine was bone dry and medium+ across the board. This came across very traditional in terms of winemaking which I found very attractive yet, this was holding something back. Almost like it was opened ten years too soon. I thought about a young Pergole Torte…then it was revealed to be a 2012 Biondi-Santi Riserva. Wow…no wonder! A lovely wine with a bright (and long) future ahead of it but I would hold these for later if I had some in my cellar. Best after 2030.
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2/26/2023 - Dunwall Likes this wine: 94 Points
Muted earth, tobacco/smoke, well-integrated, delicious
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4/3/2022 - Cailles wrote: 93 Points
8 Vintages of Biondi Santi Riserva 1975-2015: 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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4/2/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at the Matter of Taste Zurich Biondi Santi Masterclass (8 of the 41 Riservas ever made). This was the last vintage of Franco Biondi Santi before his death. The winemaker highlighted the very challenging conditions in this hot and dry vintage.
Tasting note:
Red berries and dried tomato on top of earthy base notes, just a whiff of menthol and smoke. All of this is embedded in a thin cloud of aging notes. Nice detail and delineation. Palate is a bit thin on the texture, tannin partly but not entirely integrated and pretty wild acidity. Age was clearly more perceptible on the palate than on the nose.
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1/5/2022 - Decarlor wrote: 98 Points
The testament of the great Franco! Very very good.
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10/13/2021 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at 110
Amazing complexity and depth
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7/5/2020 - JS79 Likes this wine: 96 Points
67PM vertical with Giampiero Bertolini
Young, fresh, almost glazed fruit.
Last vintage of Franco Biondi Santi.
Tastes like kind of wine you want to crack time travel for!
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4/7/2020 - Andr4ea Likes this wine: 100 Points
Monumentale!
L'ultima grande riserva di Franco Biondi-Santi.
Un vino testamento.
"La natura riesce a creare cose belle, basta saperle aspettare."
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