Brunello di Montalcino 'Il Greppo' Biondi Santi 2018

The Brunello "Il Greppo" is one of the greatest excellences of Italy, among the most famous red wines in the world and a legendary star of Montalcino's production. It is defined as the father of the entire denomination because it is the one who gave birth to the production of the famous and prestigious Brunello di Montalcino. Let's take a step back and try to understand how Biondi Santi, the historic winery, came to sit on the throne of the Montalcino hill. Until 1825, the most famous and appreciated wine in that patch of Tuscan land was Moscadello, a slightly sweet and easy-drinking white. It was precisely during these years that Clemente Santi arrived on the scene, who began to take an interest in and study the characteristics of a clone of the Sangiovese grape, the Sangiovese Grosso, called Brunello by the local citizens for the intense and dark color of its coat. The story resumed in 1860 when Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, nephew of Clemente and legitimate son of Jacopo Biondi and Caterina Santi, began to produce a red wine based on this grape that immediately showed it had all the cards in order to become something extraordinary. It was precisely during those years that the catastrophe brought by the phylloxera insect struck the vines and plundered the harvests like a real epidemic, eating everything it found in its path. Thus, the farmers, frightened and scared by the damage caused by the insect, tried to obtain a quick financial return from the new vines, selling the red wines on the market as quickly as possible. Ferruccio did not share the same opinion and went against the trend. He believed that wine was the most faithful friend of time and that only with the passing of years could it become great. Thus, he vinified the Sangiovese Grosso that he cultivated in his estate, il Greppo, in purity and waited a long time in the cellar until it reached its perfect degree of ripeness. A few years later he tasted it and astonished every citizen. That day went down in history because the first and historic Brunello was born, whose roots remain forever linked to the Biondi Santi family. From that day on, the prestige and fame of this brand began to increase in value, thanks to targeted interventions, modernization of techniques and selection of the best Sangiovese clones.

The Brunello di Montalcino Biondi Santi is born from the prestigious vineyards of Sangiovese Grosso cultivated within the estate of the same name, which extends over a vineyard area of 47 hectares. The clayey and skeleton-rich soils, the unique microclimate of the place, the significant temperature variation between night and day, and that Mediterranean sun that warms the soil for more than half the year have created the perfect conditions for cultivating high-quality grapes. The yields are kept very low, about 30-50 quintals per hectare, and the harvest is done manually, selecting bunch by bunch in the central weeks of September. The grapes, brought to the winery, are vinified and aged in Slavonian oak barrels for at least 3 years. It finishes its journey in the bottle, where it rests for at least 4 months.

The Greppo Brunello lights up the glass with an intense ruby red color with garnet reflections. On the nose, it is broadand complex, where sensations of small red fruits, notes of wilted rose, hints of vanilla, toasted notes, coffee powder, and woodland echoes dance in unison, giving rise to a truly exciting olfactory melody. On the palate, it shows all its strength and power with elegance and supreme class. Warm, persistent, soft, tannic and balanced: all beautifully woven together and integrated into a decidedly harmonious structure. A must-try at least once in a lifetime, perhaps paired with a typical dish like pici with ragù di cinta senese, or with wild boar and mushrooms, tagliolini with truffle, pappardelle with hare, or pheasant with chestnuts and mushrooms. The peace of the senses…