Brunello di Montalcino Riserva tenuta Greppo 2013

The wine in this vintage

Cool and late, 2013 in Montalcino demanded patience from growers but rewarded the best sites with fragrant, elegant Brunellos of classic cast. The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Tenuta Greppo is a refined expression of it, with 19/20 from Jancis Robinson and 97 points from Wine Enthusiast. The bouquet is very fine, with cherry, raspberry, rose, herbs, orange and graphite; the palate is lifted, with delicate tannins and vibrant acidity that bring freshness and length. A Riserva of great purity, it is already enjoyable for the harmony of its elements, yet has very long ageing potential.

The producer · Biondi Santi

To speak of Biondi-Santi is to speak of the very origins of Brunello di Montalcino. In the second half of the nineteenth century Clemente Santi recognised the potential of Montalcino Sangiovese, and his grandson Ferruccio Biondi Santi selected a clone of Sangiovese Grosso, BBS11, vinifying it on its own to make a wine meant for long ageing: he is credited with creating Brunello as we know it. Tancredi and later Franco Biondi Santi upheld a strictly classical style throughout the twentieth century, built on vibrant acidity, fine tannins and large Slavonian oak casks. The heart of the estate is Tenuta Greppo, south-east of Montalcino, with vineyards on galestro and alberese soils at relatively high elevations. Since 2017 the property has belonged to the French group EPI, which has invested in vineyards and cellar while keeping the house's identity intact. The Brunello, and above all the Riserva made only in the finest years, are among Italy's longest-lived wines, capable of spanning a century.

Critics' scores

• 97 Wine Enthusiast
• 19/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Biondi Santi

Region

Toscana

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2013

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

97/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0080113