Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Annata 2015

WA 97 / JS 97 / VM 95 pts

WA: The Biondi-Santi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino exudes dark, velvety fruit and concentration while maintaining the signature elegance, suppleness and lithe personalty that distinguishes the iconic Il Greppo estate. I found this new release to be quite distinctive and exquisitely beautiful, setting it apart from many of the past vintages we are most familiar with. This 2015 edition is dark, exuberant and bold, but precise, focused and sharp as well. It will live for years in your cellar, but tasted now in its infancy, the wine shows blackberry, dried cherry, plum and dark cassis. Those dark fruit tones segue to a rich presentation of tar, spice, earth, tobacco and sweet balsam herb. The bouquet offers seamless and smooth transitions. This warm and sunny growing season favoured richness and phenolic weight. Wines from Biondi-Santi are made for the long haul, and the fresh acidity that characterises this estate is the principle reason why. However, I`d argue that this wine from 2015 will evolve over the years not only thanks to the freshness but more so thanks to the important structure of this solid and profound wine. 2024 – 2048

JS: This is so transparent and beautiful with clarity. Cherry, plum, strawberry, and berry character with some stone and orange. It`s full-bodied and very linear and round with balance and refinement. The tannins are fine and very powdery in texture. Excellent depth. Ripe, yet so energetic. Fresh, vivid and round.

VM: The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is an understated beauty that takes some time to blossom in the glass. It’s a sweetly spiced and floral expression of the vintage, blending ripe cherries and strawberries with dusty earth, hints of sage and violets. A refreshing air of mint and lavender develops over time. It’s elegance personified on the palate, seamless and silky-smooth, with a classic and pure expression of red fruits and saline-minerals, as fine tannins slowly mount toward the close. Hints of licorice, white pepper and savory herbs linger through the lightly structured finale. While youthfully firm, the 2015 is already so enjoyable today, yet a few years of cellaring will reveal even further depths. I tasted the 2015 tasted multiple times over the course of a day and it only got better with air. Simply stunning! 2024-2034