Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (1969)

About this wine

This 1969 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva from Biondi-Santi offers a delicate bouquet of dried flowers, mint, licorice, and subtle spices. On the palate, it presents harmonious flavors of molasses, anise, and tobacco, complemented by a refined minerality. The wine's balanced acidity and soft tannins contribute to its graceful structure, leading to a lingering, nuanced finish. Notably, Biondi-Santi's meticulous winemaking has endowed this Brunello with remarkable longevity, allowing it to evolve beautifully over decades. This vintage exemplifies the estate's commitment to producing wines of exceptional elegance and depth.

About the grape

Sangiovese, the sole grape in the 1969 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, is a red Italian variety whose name means "blood of Jupiter." In the mid-19th century, Clemente Santi began experimenting with Sangiovese at his Il Greppo estate in Montalcino, aiming to produce wines suitable for aging. His grandson, Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, further refined this work by isolating a superior clone known as Sangiovese Grosso and producing the first 100% Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino in 1888. This pioneering effort established the foundation for Brunello di Montalcino wines, renowned for their longevity and depth.

Quick facts

• 🍷 The Biondi-Santi family is credited with creating Brunello di Montalcino, with Ferruccio Biondi-Santi producing the first modern version in 1888.
• 👑 The 1955 Biondi-Santi Brunello Riserva was served to Queen Elizabeth II in 1969, significantly boosting the wine's international reputation.
• 🧱 During World War II, Tancredi Biondi-Santi walled up the family's old Riservas to protect them from being plundered by German soldiers.
• 📚 The Biondi-Santi estate maintains a wine library called 'La Storica,' housing bottles of every Riserva vintage ever produced, some dating back to 1888.
• 🏆 The 1955 Biondi-Santi Brunello Riserva is the only Italian wine listed among the twelve best wines of the 20th century by Wine Spectator.

Palate profile

Producer

Biondi-Santi, established in 1865 by Ferruccio Biondi Santi in Montalcino, Italy, is renowned for creating Brunello di Montalcino, a prestigious red wine made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes. The winery's Il Greppo estate, located just southeast of Montalcino, spans 32 hectares of vineyards rich in galestro rock and marl soils, ideal for cultivating Sangiovese Grosso. Biondi-Santi has maintained traditional winemaking methods, including aging wines in large Slavonian oak casks, some over a century old, contributing to their exceptional longevity. In 2016, the French luxury group EPI acquired a majority stake in the winery, aiming to preserve its heritage while enhancing its global presence.