I have reviewed four wines from Biondi Santi, from the 1998 to 2022 vintages, across Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino. All are Sangiovese. Scores range from 94 to 97, averaging 96; the highest is the 2018 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (97 points). Biondi Santi also features in two journal articles on this site.
To speak of Brunello di Montalcino is to speak of Biondi Santi. The story begins in the mid-19th century with Clemente Santi, who experimented with a particular clone of Sangiovese at his Tenuta Greppo and believed this grape, which he called Sangiovese Grosso, could make a world-class wine of extraordinary longevity. His grandson Ferruccio Biondi Santi, returning from Garibaldi’s campaigns, continued the work, and in 1888 bottled the first wine officially labelled Brunello di Montalcino: 100% Sangiovese Grosso aged for years in large, neutral Slavonian oak.
The family protected that legacy for generations. Ferruccio’s son Tancredi was instrumental in codifying the rules of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and famously walled up the oldest vintages to hide them from German soldiers during the Second World War. His son Franco, the “Gentleman of Brunello,” guarded the tradition for decades, refusing new oak and international fashions, so that the name remained synonymous with elegance, terroir and age-worthiness.
The wines are austere in youth and blossom with time. The Rosso di Montalcino, from younger vines at Greppo, is a serious introduction to the house style, with saline acidity and silky tannins. The Brunello comes from vines averaging more than 25 years and is built to evolve for half a century. The Riserva is made only in the greatest vintages from the oldest vines, 50 to 80 years old — including, remarkably, a 2018 — and older bottles such as the 1998 show why this house relies on acidity and structure rather than power.
Wine Reviews for Biondi Santi
1998 Biondi Santi (Tenuta Greppo) Brunello di Montalcino
We just secured a cellar that frankly shouldn’t exist. This is a rare glimpse into the golden era of traditional Barolo, featuring pristine verticals of Bartolo Mascarello (including the legendary 1961 and 1978 Magnums), Bruno Giacosa’s Red Labels, and Giuseppe Rinaldi. Plus, we found a “miracle” parcel of 1976 & 1978 Borgogno Riserva—perfectly aged history at an unbeatable price. These are not just wines; they are survivors.
