Tenuta Biondi-Santi in Montalcino, Tuscany was founded in 1840 by Clemente Biondi-Santi. It is among Italy’s most renowned estates, and even as Italy’s first ‘grand cru’ (Great Growth). The estate occupies the Tenuta Greppo, just south-east of Montalcino town, and approached via a long line of cypress trees. In 1989 a controlling interest in the family firm was bought by Pierluigi Tagliabue of the neighbouring Villa Poggio Salvi estate (Hugh Johnson: Wine Companion: 1991, p.337). Franco Biondi-Santi died in 2013. Jacopo Biondi Santi took over on the death of his father Franco in 2013. Since 2017 the Biondi-Santi estate is no longer owned or run by the eponymous founding family.

Owner: Epi since 2017. Staff: Amministratore Delegato CEO: Giampiero Bertolini. Technical Director & Head Winemaker: Federico Radi.

History: Its origins date from the 16th-century. It was owned for 7 generations by the Biondi-Santi family. Clemente Santi won a citation for a ‘Brunello’ in 1865. His son Ferruccio began isolating his best Sangiovese vines (‘Sangiovese Grosso’ as it was then known), work which ultimately led him to be considered the father of Brunello as a 100% Sangiovese red wine. Ferruccio’s son was Tancredi (d.1970). He was succeeded by his son Franco (“Dottor Franco”) whose first vintage was 1971 (Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1971). It was he who developed a strain of Sangiovese called BBS11 which is now a commercially available clone. Franco Biondi-Santi began working with the University of Florence on this from 1971, continuing the work of his father and grandfather. This led to the isolating of the thicker skinned BBS11 clone of Sangiovese. Jacopo Biondi Santi took over here in 2013 after the death of his father Franco but soon sold the estate to Epi, a French company whose first full vintage was 2017.

Wines: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC.

Vineyards: 25ha (Gambero Rosso 2015). Tenuta Il Greppo. ‘The highest point here is 507m (1,663ft). South, southeast and east exposure. 70% of the vines are at 500m. The altitude cools the grapes at night, maintaining marked levels of acidity. Then the grapes warm quickly in the morning. They ripen slowly, providing aromatic richness and sour cherry flavours. Harvest is about two weeks later than in Sant’Angelo, for example. Clay, can compact causing stress. The high altitude accounts for sour cherry notes,’ my notes from a visit to to the estate on 25 Feb 2021.

Vintage reports: 2013. | 2015. | 2017.

Pink wines

Rosato: This is available from the estate and is not sold commercially.

Red wines

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Biondi Santi–Tenuta Greppo: From younger vines. 2010 Bottled. | 2011 On 5th Feb 2015 Serena Giardini said by ‘phone “2011. Hot dry summer. Younger vines from 4-10 years old for Rosso. Bunch selection. 300 metres. West-facing. Aged in Slavonian botti.’ | 2017 13.5% alc. 12m in Slavonian oak. Citrus, plenty of texture, ready but will age a decade

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: 2003 Harvest from 4th September. The earliest recorded. 2004 Bottled. | 2008 Spicy. Silver medal (DWWA 2013). | 2009 £15-29.99. Lovely clarity, red cherry, depth, firm and ripe. Bronze (DWWA 2013). Crisp, complex tannin at ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Artisanal Wines’, VinItaly 24th March 2015. | 2015 14.5% alc. 36 months in Slavonian oak. Bottled in both 75ml and magnums for the first time. Bottled May 2020 by Jacopo Biondi-Santi. | 2016 Bottled by Jacopo Biondi-Santi. Big, juicy, plenty of tannin with some crunchy fruit too (Visit 25 Feb 2021).

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva, Tenuta Greppo: 1983 Bottled. | 1997 14%. | 1999 Bottled. | 2001 Bottled. | 2004 Bottled. | 2006 Bottled. | 2007 Open-knit cedar/balsamic nose which is quite evolved, with dry but sticky tannin and fruit, a combo that means it lacks a little focus and harmony – although one might argue this increases its savoury appeal. Silver medal (DWWA 2013). | 2008 Bottled. | 2011 #1 corky. #2 Not much depth and a bit dry with Susan Hulme MW (in Montalcino 19th Feb 2016). | 2013 13.5% alc. The estate’s 40th Riserva since 1888. From vines at least 25 years of age. 36 months in Slavonian oak. Fermented in concrete vats and Slavonian oak barrels by the Biondi-Santi family, but it was the new owners who blended it, bottling it on 12th February 2021. Some wine was bottled for the first time in 1.5 litre, 3 litre and 6 litre formats. Soft nose, juicy tannins (Visit 25 Feb 2021).

Contact

Tenuta Biondi-Santi s.p.a

Tenuta Greppo, Villa Greppo, 183

53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.848087 | Website: www.biondisanti.it

Bibliography

Visit to the Greppo estate 25 Feb 2021.

Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016).