Biondi Santi - Il Greppo

Rosso di Montalcino comes from slightly younger Brunello vines and is aged for 12 months in large oak barrels. It undoubtedly bears the signature of the top winery Biondi Santi: delicate-sweet open scent of red berries, flowers and cloves. Rosso, like all other wines of the winery, is of classic and firm style, with a bombastic structure and a brilliant, long finish. Faithful to the house he also has a long storage and maturing potential and can take on some Brunello of the appellation today and the day after tomorrow. SUPERIORE.DE

"This wine is beautifully endowed with bright fruit flavors of cherry and cassis that lift effortlessly from the bouquet. The warm growing season has helped shape soft and lasting fruit flavors. The wine is fresh and snappy crisp in terms of mouthfeel." Robert Parker

"Il Greppo's 2015 Rosso di Montalcino is absolutely gorgeous. Sweet tobacco, dried red cherry, cedar, rosemary, mint and anise give the Rosso lovely aromatic complexity, but it is the wine's body and resonance that stand out most. A wine of real stature and depth, Biondi-Santi's 2015 Rosso is all class, not to mention a real overachiever in my tastings and a rare Rosso that delivers the goods big time." Vinous

Opulent nose of red fruits, elegant expression. On the palate it is full with a beautiful finish, harmonious with hints of pepper, tobacco and an extremely complex expression. Long lasting and made for a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

"Medium light red; barrely-raspberry-ripening, tobacco, very appealing; round base, fine, juicy, balanced, fresh, liquid, pleasing well." Merum (JLF)

"Bright red. Fresh, complex aromas of sweet red berries, pomegranate, sour red cherry, orange peel, violet and brown spices. Bright and juicy, with building density and multilayered flavors of sour red cherries and raspberry, complicated by a hint of peach. Finishes long and clean with strong mineral and floral nuances. This is an extremely fruity and remarkably ready to drink Brunello for this property, known for tough as nails wines when young that normally require lots of patience. Still, despite its obvious upfront charm, this has real structure and depth and will age well.Easily one of the top three Brunellos of the vintage." Ian d’Agata (vinous.com)

"Sparkling Ruby Grenade. Very open and accessible nose, with notes of pomegranate, rose petals and fine cherry. Juicy and clear in the attack and course, shows fine notes of pomegranate and sour cherry, opens with pithy, fine-meshed tannin, very long reverberation." Falstaff

"Love the dried lemon rind, florals and red fruits. Medium to full body and a solid core of fruit and spices. Long and flavorful finish. Just a hint of sweet tobacco." James Suckling

"Underbrush, ripe berry, new leather and Mediterranean herb aromas slowly take shape in the glass. Showing youthful tension, the vibrant palate delivers red cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and pipe tobacco notes framed by bright acidity and taut, refined tannins. It already shows great balance and finesse but is still young and tight."(Cellar Selection) Wine Enthusiast

"Mid ruby with orange tinges. Brooding, complex nose and very tight and compact palate. Succulent but very closed and with masses of fine tannins. It is a beautifully balanced whole, but right now a little austere and locked, yet more open than the 2011. The most elegant wine of this vintage." Jancis Robinson

Durable, austere, but above all unsurpassed elegant drop from one of the most famous estates in Tuscany. SUPERIORE.DE

"An elegant style, boasting red berry, cherry, floral and wild herb aromas and flavors. Lean and firm, almost ethereal, riding the racy profile to a lingering aftertaste of fruit, spice and mineral. A wine of finesse." Wine Spectator

"The estate's flagship Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is terrific in 2007. Rose petals, red cherries, flowers and spices are all layered together. This isn't a huge wine, but rather a Brunello of elegance, refinement and pure finesse. The 2007 is a total infant of a wine, butone that holds quite a bit of promise for the future. There is plenty of vintage 2007 radiance, but it would be a shame to open a bottle beforeits tenth birthday, and that is likely to be on the optimistic side." Antonio Galloni

"A wine with wonderful layers of fruit and silky tannins. Loads of chocolate, cedar and dried flowers on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, and muscular. Long and intense. Grows in the palate. This need years of bottle age. Extremely well done for this producer. One of the best wines from here in a long, long time." James Suckling

Lavish Brunello Riserva with a bouquet of sweet black cherries, frankincense, liquorice and tobacco. The 2011 vintage brings incredible depth, immense fullness and a great personality. SUPERIORE.DE

"This hot and dry year has created a Riserva that, by Biondi-Sandi standards, is an unusually early source of drinking pleasure. Subdued, but very noble aromas of pickled red berries, also a touch of coffee beans, leaves and dried herbs. In the palate densely woven, with fine-grained tannin and beautiful enamel." Vinum

"Brilliant, rich ruby with a slight garnet edge. Compact, multi-layered nose with notes of raspberries, pickled cherries, some saffron. Fine-meshed tannin on the palate, unfolds with great elegance, fine cherry fruit, echoes for a very long time, salty." Falstaff

"Mid ruby with orange tinges. Deep yet locked nose hinting at ripeness. Gorgeous, chewy, minerally cherry fruit with lots of powdery tannins. Very long, fine and tannic for the moment, but a little more approachable than the normal BS 2011 Brunello, from what I remember." Jancis Robinson

"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." James Suckling

"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 fruit, balsam herb and spice. There is extra fiber and texture here overall. This Riserva shows a higher degree of density and a tighter embroidery with dark fruit, spice and tobacco. Both 2011 and 2012 are warm vintages, and the wines produced do not boast the same level of bright acidity that you normally get from this estate. But, if there's one thing the wines of Biondi-Santi have demonstrated over the years, it is that they get better with time. Set this bottle aside in your cellar." Robert Parker

"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 harmonious acidity. Finishes long with youthfully chewy tannins and lingering hints of violet. This strikes me as a slightly readier to drink version of Brunello Riserva from Biondi-Santi, but as always, it improves greatly with aeration so decant at least six hours ahead for maximum enjoyment." Ian d’Agata (vinous.com)

"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 delivers juicy wild cherry, crushed raspberry, white pepper and a hint of black tea framed in polished tannins and fresh acidity. It's already tempting but the best is yet to come."(Cellar Selection) Wine Enthusiast

Greppo Riserva from the absolute peak year 1997 - newly corked, as Biondi Santi does every 20 years on behalf of his customers - smells of flowers, liquorice, red berries and spices. Elegance and perfection on the palate, long, supple, juicy to the infinite finale. SUPERIORE.DE

"Little has changed at Biondi Santi in terms of their general approach to winemaking over the years. The Riserva is made from the estate's oldest vines which are at least 25 years old, and ageing is in large Slavonian oak casks. The 1997 vintage was dry and warm throughout the summer. In August, three intermittent rain showers refreshed the grapes, while September continued under dry conditions leading up to harvest. The wine is in a beautiful drinking period now, and has moved beyond its signature youthful austerity. The nose is expressive and open, with sweet tobacco, Asian spiced plum and fine polished leather. On the palate the structure is still imposing, the tannins clinging on firmly. It offers an intriguing sweet and sour quality, with notes of citrus peel, iron and mineral lingering on the finish. It is ready to enjoy now, but will surely keep for another 25 years." Decanter

"A ripe expression, showing broad shoulders, this is still monolithic and dense at 15 years. Cherry, plum and stony aromas and flavors are supported by fresh acidity and dusty tannins. The tight finish contains a mineral element. Opens up with time in the glass, but could use another 5 to 10 years of aging." Wine Spectator

"The Biondi-Santi 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva was never previously reviewed; therefore, I am very excited to add an official record of this stunning wine to our database. This vintage delivers structure and age-worthy intensity that should carry it forward successfully for more years ahead. However, if you decide to pop the cork now, rest assured that this excellent Brunello has now entered its prime drinking window. The bouquet is polished and fine, with wild fruit aromas that segue to balsam herb and licorice. The finish is long and extremely polished. This is a real beauty." Robert Parker