2008 Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Bottle (750ml)

VM94 "Good full ruby-red with a garnet rim. Brooding nose opens slowly with aeration to offer delicate hints of lively red cherry, underbrush and flint. Rich, dense and suave, with outstandingly precise red berry and mineral flavors complicated by delicate notes of licorice, chestnut and underbrush. Finishes extremely long and pure, with a seamless quality to the classic sangiovese flavors. A knockout: this is Brunello 101 for anyone wishing to understand--or to make--a great sangiovese wine. Brunello doesn't get much better than this in 2008. Another very fine addition to the legacy of Franco Biondi-Santi, who passed away this year." IdA for VM Aug 2013

"Sadly, Franco Biondi Santi passed away just a few short weeks after my most recent visit to Il Greppo. I tasted with Franco Biondi Santi several times over the years. Always impeccably dressed and aristocratic in demeanor, Biondi Santi was unfailingly polite but also passionate in his advocacy of tradition. Biondi Santi would always accompany me throughout the cellar, tasting through all the vintages in barrel, even though advancing age clearly took a toll on his energy level toward the end of his life. Despite his age, Biondi Santi ran Il Greppo with an iron fist. The winery was always clean and well-maintained. Nothing happened at the estate without his explicit approval." AG for TWA Jun 2023