One of the most famous names in Italian winemaking is set to expand the Premier Wines & Spirits portfolio. The Tuscan estate Biondi-Santi, based in Montalcino, is associated with the origins of Brunello di Montalcino and continues to build on tradition, extended ageing and exceptional precision.
From Sangiovese to one of Italy’s most famous wines
The story of Biondi-Santi began in 1865, when Clemente Santi started working with the pure Sangiovese grape variety. More than two decades later came the moment that fundamentally shaped the character of this Tuscan winery. In 1888, Ferruccio Biondi-Santi selected his own Sangiovese Grosso clone and created the first Brunello di Montalcino. What was originally a local wine gradually became one of the most distinctive symbols of Italian winemaking.
Today, Biondi-Santi cultivates approximately 32 hectares of vineyards in the Montalcino area. The vineyards lie at altitudes ranging from 400 to 564 metres, and their varied locations allow the winery to work with different micro-terroirs. The result is wines characterised above all by elegance, structure and the ability to age well over the long term. In the cellar, fermentation takes place in a combination of stainless steel, concrete and wood, while subsequent ageing occurs in large Slavonian oak casks. This long ageing and the restrained use of wood are among the hallmarks of the Biondi-Santi style.
Three wines, three expressions of the Biondi-Santi style
Czech wine lovers can now, through Premier Wines & Spirits, discover three wines that showcase the different levels of the winery’s production. The Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2023 offers a fresher and more approachable expression of the local Sangiovese. It is built on notes of red fruit, cherries, plums and wild berries, complemented by lively acidity and delicate tannins. The wine is available for 2,515 CZK.
The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020 already reveals a fuller and more complex side to the winery. It features cherries, cranberries and blueberries, as well as plums, spices, fine oak and a light touch of dark chocolate. Its firm structure and balanced acidity also give the wine significant potential for further ageing. The price per bottle is 6,425 CZK.
At the very top of the range is the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2019. The Riserva is produced only in exceptional vintages and is made from the finest grapes. The 2019 vintage offers a concentrated expression of ripe sour cherries and wild berries, complemented by dark chocolate and fine oak. The wine has a distinctive structure, complexity and a long, fruity, spicy and mineral finish. The price reflects its exceptional status – a bottle costs 20,185 CZK.
Biondi-Santi is thus bringing more than just another Brunello to the Czech market. This is a producer whose history is directly linked to this wine and whose style is based on long-term work with the Sangiovese grape variety, a specific place and time. It is precisely this combination of tradition, terroir and ageing potential that makes Biondi-Santi one of the most distinctive names in contemporary Tuscan winemaking.
