2012 Biondi-Santi - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (98 pts)

2012 Biondi-Santi - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (98 pts) @biondisantigreppo ℹ️ The wine is 💯 Sangiovese Grosso from estate owned vineyards around the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy. Biondi-Santi is the oldest and most famous Producer of Brunello di Montalcino. Biondi-Santi was the driving force in defining the wines of Brunello di Montalcino. This Riserva is the last vintage of Franco Biondi-Santi, who oversaw the Winemaking for 24 of the 39 Riservas produced at the estate. The grapes were vinified in Slavonian oak barrels with indigenous yeasts. Then the wine was aged in Slavonian oak barrels for three years. Typically Riservas receive three years of bottle age, but this vintage was aged for four years in bottle before being released. 👁 Medium ruby color with a pale garnet rim 👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of sour cherry, red currant, dried strawberry, leather, fennel, sage, orange peel, rhubarb, prosciutto, and oolong tea. 👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained, powdery tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium body. The texture of the wine is like plush velvet on your tongue. A long length finish that lingers of dried sour cherry, earthy rhubarb, leather, and dried herbs. 🔔 Hands down, this is one of the top wines of Italy. An absolutely gorgeous wine that is airy and complex on the nose but packed with velvety texture and concentration on the palate. This a knockout with 3-4 hours in the decanter, but this can effortlessly age for decades. I would argue that with additional cellaring that this could be a perfect wine. Please notice the special dedication to Franco Biondi-Santi on the front of the label in honor of his last vintage. 🙏 💰~$550 #vin #lovewine #🍷 #wineterroir #wine #biondisanti #brunello #brunellodimontalcino #italianwine #sangiovese