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Red dry
The 1995 Riserva was aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 3 years. It benefited from a long refinement in the bottle in the quiet and darkness of “La Storica”, the bottle library at Tenuta Greppo where all the historic vintages of Biondi-Santi Riserva are scrupulously kept.
Serve at 16-18 °C with game dishes, beef steaks, wild mushroom stews.
Just re-released, this supremely elegant complex red is a testament to Brunello's remarkable aging potential. It opens with aromas evoking sunbaked earth, underbrush, new leather and mature berry that mingle with whiffs of flint and tar. The silky palate is chock–full of flavor and finesse, boasting mature black cherry, raspberry compote, tobacco and black tea framed in polished tannins and still tangy acidity. Drink through 2035.
The 1995 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva opens to a dark garnet appearance and shows more visible concentration compared to the other library selection vintages presented at this tasting. The bouquet is broad and far reaching in character with dried blackberry and plum followed by savory tobacco and spice. This vintage is fleshy, rich and powerful. It offers balanced tertiary aromas, but they are not the protagonist, and that sense of impeccable balance serves as a measure of how well this wine has held up over time.
It is a rare case when the origins of an entire wine category can be traced back to a single person, but the history of Brunello di Montalcino began precisely with Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, who created the first wine of this style in the late 19th century. His work and vision became a cornerstone not only of Tuscan but of all Italian winemaking. In 1888, drawing inspiration from the example of Barolo, Ferruccio produced the first Brunello — a 100% Sangiovese Grosso wine — a decision considered revolutionary at the time, when all of Tuscany was still blending several varieties into a single wine.
Today the winery is run by Jacopo Biondi-Santi, Ferruccio's great-great-grandson and the seventh generation of winemakers in the family. He upholds traditions cultivated for over a century, crafting exceptionally long-ageing, elegant wines. The Biondi-Santi estate is perched at the summit of the Montalcino hill, with around 25 hectares of historic vineyards, and most of the region's Sangiovese Grosso vineyards have been planted with clones taken from this winery's plantings.
Biondi-Santi wines are celebrated for their longevity, refinement and extraordinary structure. Their elegant, classic style has been preserved for over 100 years — these are wines for collectors and connoisseurs of aged vintages.
Biondi-Santi owns some of the most prized vineyards in Montalcino, situated in the highest and coolest sites of the appellation. Among them:
Thanks to the higher altitude and cooler climate, the grapes ripen slowly, and the harvest is typically carried out earlier than at other estate sites — preserving natural acidity and aromatic purity.
Brunello di Montalcino is fermented in stainless steel tanks with long maceration to extract maximum structure and colour. The Riserva version is fermented in oak casks, and all the wines are aged in large Slavonian oak barrels.
Biondi-Santi wines are known for their exceptional ageing potential — classic Brunellos can mature for 20, 30 years or even longer. They unfold beautifully over time, retaining their elegance, balance and aromatic intensity. It is no coincidence that these wines are regarded as the "Rolls Royce of Italian wine".
