The wines of Brunello di Montalcino owe their existence to a single family: the Biondi-Santis, who in the 19th century isolated the BBS-11 or “Brunello di Biondi-Santi” clone of Sangiovese that became the basis of the appellation. However, it was Franco Biondi-Santi’s time as head winemaker from 1970 to 2013 that developed the estate’s critically-acclaimed style and helped catapult Brunello di Montalcino to international fame. Throughout his tenure, Franco remained committed to ageworthiness over immediacy, in contrast to the dominant market trend in the 1980s and 90s that promoted full-bodied, fruit-forward, and heavily extracted wines. Franco passed away in 2013, so the 2012 Riserva is the final release to benefit from the master's hand, and the bottles bear a special commemorative label. We predict that this will be one of the most sought-after and collectible Italian wines in a generation, and are thrilled to present this rare offering at one of the lowest prices in the US:

Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012 750ml - $539
98 Points Decanter "The 2012 Riserva is the last vintage produced by Franco Biondi Santi, and so this release is dedicated to him. Of the 39 Riservas the estate has produced since the first one in 1888, Franco oversaw 24 of them. 2012 is considered a warm vintage, more dry than hot and with an advanced harvest on 10 September: quite early for a Sangiovese from higher vineyards in Montalcino. The age of the vines has helped to give the wine outstanding complexity. It shows the typical freshness of Biondi Santi with red currant, pomegranate and orris root aromas, becoming more austere on the palate with rhubarb radice flavour, firm acidity and firm yet ripe tannins. The extraction is great and the tight-knit integration between fruit and structural elements gives it the depth to age for decades. Drinking Window 2020 - 2050 (AF)" (02/2020)

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