Biondi Santi

The Biondi-Santi saga has been recounted extensively. From championing 100% Sangiovese and bottling the first ever Brunello di Montalcino in the 19th century to taking a leading role in establishing the denomination’s guidelines in 1966 and identified the BBS11 clone in 1978, the estate is inextricable from the foundation of Brunello.

Upon taking the reins in 1970 to his death in 2013, Franco Biondi-Santi guided the winery into the modern era. Yet he held firm to the traditions of ageing in large Slavonian oak casks and relying on vine age to determine destination of grapes (Rosso, Brunello and Riserva).

In December 2016, luxury investment firm EPI purchased a majority stake in Biondi-Santi and completed a full buyout of the family in 2020. Any concerns about the fate of this epic property have been dispelled by CEO Giampiero Bertolini and winemaker Federico Radi - the latter a former disciple of Isole e Olena’s Paolo de Marchi. They have conducted extensive soil studies to give greater precision to the blend of each wine and continue to research clones, rootstocks and trellising systems to meet the climate challenges of today. The old casks have slowly been replaced though Slavonian oak is still de rigour.

Their work is an investigation of Biondi-Santi’s precious DNA aimed not just at keeping it intact but ensuring its longevity. As for the wines, they remain true to Franco’s signature austerity, rigour and freshness while at the same time evoking Tuscany’s munificent countryside.