Biondi-Santi - Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2016 (750ml)

Tasting Notes

A bright ruby red color, this elegant Rosso di Montalcino opens with a veritable explosion of sweet fruity aromas, going from small berry fruits such as raspberries and red currant, to cherries, plums and pomegranate, interwoven with flowery notes of violets and wisteria in flower and delicately tickled by hints of fresh Mediterranean herbs. The structure is firm and vibrant and the flavor profile is refreshing and sincere, leading to a long, savoury finish where hints of violets and red fruits linger.

"I am immediately smitten by the Biondi-Santi 2016 Rosso di Montalcino thanks to the purity of the aromas on display. The bouquet literally submerges the senses in Sangiovese, with those delicate aromas of wild rose, violets, wet earth and brambly forest berry. Background notes of licorice, camphor ash and balsam herb come into steady focus. I am delighted by the intensity and the immense focus of this wine. This Rosso di Montalcino stands with the best of Brunello and gives us good reason to have very high expectations for the 2016 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino that will be released appellation-wide at the beginning of next year. This is a solid mid-weight Rosso with good structure and fine points of fresh acidity that move the wine with determination and grace smoothly over the palate." Monica Larner

Underbrush, wild berry, rose and camphor aromas waft out of the glass along with whiffs of rosemary and graphite on this medium-bodied red. It's linear, savory and balanced, delivering red-cherry, pomegranate, star anise and white-pepper flavors set against vibrant acidity and polished tannins. It shows breeding and finesse. It's ready now or you could hold for even more complexity. Drink through 2026. Kerin O’Keefe

The 2016 Rosso di Montalcino hails from lower-elevation vineyards, around 250 meters, in the northern section of Montalcino. It’s a classic, layered and dramatic wine, showing bright cherry, sweet herbs, cooling mint, dried fall leaves, tobacco and savory spice, with a presence and depth that feels more like Brunello than Rosso in character. There’s sweetness and purity to the fruit here that keeps me coming back to the glass, yet I’m sure that the 2016 will benefit from a few years of cellaring, especially as its fine tannins build toward the close. The Rosso spends twelve months maturing in Slavonian oak, and it is released two years later than most. Eric Guido

This is a rich, flavorful Rosso with firm tannins and bright acidity. Medium body. Firm and beautiful. Hints of chocolate and spice. Drink or hold.

This 'primus inter pares' has seen some upheaval while changing into French hands a couple of years ago and might herald stylistic change not welcomed by admirers of this true custodian of traditional Brunello. This Rosso di Montalcino from an outstanding vintage, with great acidity and surprisingly soft tannins clinging to the concentrated fruit, seems less austere than in the past, but is still in a class of its own. Walter Speller

 Plenty of iron, sanguine and wild herb aromas lead off, while flavors of plum and cherry prevail in this rich red. Firmly structured and balanced, with the lingering finish echoing the fruit, Tuscan scrub and mineral elements. Bruce Sanderson