Biondi Santi - Brunello di Montalcino 2005 *

Cultivation: conventional

Aging: 36 months in oak cask

Bottle aging: several months

Volume: 75 cl 

Cellaring potential: 2030+

The Tenuta Il Greppo di Biondi-Santi was founded in 1840 by Clemente Santi and to this day cultivates just 18 hectares of vineyards southeast of Montalcino. The vineyards are located at various elevations and orientations around the estate, creating distinct microclimates and grape characteristics. The subsequent blending of these different plots defines the unique style of Biondi-Santi's Brunello di Montalcino.

At Tenuta Il Greppo, the winemaking process remains faithful to the time-tested methods of Franco Biondi-Santi and his predecessors: meticulous hand-harvesting, long maceration periods, and a minimum of 36 months of aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Additionally, the Brunello di Montalcino undergoes an extended bottle aging period before release, allowing it to develop balance, complexity, finesse, and its hallmark elegance.

The 2005 Brunello di Montalcino Annata opens with a fabulous, expressive bouquet of freshly cut roses, spices and raspberries, all of which carry through to the palate, where the wine reveals impeccable class and elegance, with just enough fruit to balance its angular, lean structure. Still, the 2005 is surprisingly round and harmonious for a young vintage of Biondi Santi, in fact, I had a hard time putting the glass down! Though medium in body, the wine offers gorgeous persistence and a long, exceptionally pure finish. I expect the 2005 Brunello to shut down in bottle, but readers who have an opportunity to taste the wine should not hesitate. Biondi-Santi did not produce a Riserva in 2005; instead the best of the fruit that is normally destined for the Riserva plus a selection of old vines near the heart of the estate were used for the 2005 Brunello. This is one of the unqualified successes of the vintage. 94+/100 (04.2010) - robertparker.com