BIONDI-SANTI RISERVA WINE DINNER - Taberna, Bukit Merah (15/7/2019)
This was one of the wine dinners of the year for me. I have always wanted to have a deeper dive into the world of Brunello, especially with Biondi-Santi, and tonight’s fantastic line-up of some of the great vintages of Riserva in the last 3 decades was a brilliant way to do it. It was great opportunity to get a snapshot into what makes so many people put Biondi-Santi right at the top of the Brunello tree.
The winery was originally founded by chemistry graduate Clemente Santi — recorded in 1869 as having won two silver medals for his ‘vino rosso scelto (Brunello) del 1865’ at Montepulciano’s agricultural fair — but it was in the late 19th century, under the guidance of his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, that the estate made viticultural history. Ferruccio Biondi-Santi took a clone of the Sangiovese grape, known as Sangiovese Grosso, and produced the first ever Brunello. Biondi-Santi is the home of Brunello di Montalcino.
Biondi-Santi’s wines are made from 100 per cent Sangiovese, and many would argue that theirs is the purest and most profound iteration of the noble Tuscan grape. Biondi-Santi is known to be one of the great traditionalist estates, whose focus and objective is to craft wines of both power and delicacy, which have the ability to age over great expanses of time.
I just loved the wines we had tonight. They were wines of noble and strength, almost always masculine in their character, yet uniformly showing a wonderful finesse and elegance. At their best, these were profound wines. Unshowy, restrained, but showing a quiet confidence in the way they went straight through the palate with beautiful notes of dark cherries, dusty earth and mineral, with some savoury meatiness and more perfume rose petals and more coming out on the older wines - all this usually playing on a backbone of sinewy, defined structure that lent the wines a rapier-like sense of definition and focus. Super stuff.
The lovely trio of Champagnes in magnum that we started with were just the cherries on top.
CHAMPAGNES IN MAGNUM
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2007 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. From a magnum, this was lipsmackingly delicious - really quite surprisingly so given how young it is. Symptomatic of the modern Cristal style I suppose - advanced, but in a lovely way. It had a really pretty nose, with apple fruit, spice and mineral, with a bit of baked bread aromas on the side. The palate had a nice richness to it, with ripe lemons and red apples carried on a stream of snappy acidity, with a lovely mineral undertow beneath that. There was a gorgeous shape and poise on the wine, with a lovely pull of insistent, linear intensity that led into a lemon zesty finish. Quite wonderful - power and finesse aplenty in a delicious complete package. Wow. (94 pts.) -
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
From a particularly good magnum, this was firing on all cylinders. It had such a lovely moreish nose, with white mushrooms and warm bread aromas, all savoury umami, and then white fruit opening up into sweeter accents ofstrawberries and flowers and cream. Wow. The palate was creamy and delicious - with an attack of sweet cherry pip and strawberry flesh, leading into a melon midpalate, and then a long rather buttery backplate with a slight toasted almond skin nuttiness to it, before a long, long mineral finish of bittersweet steel and stone set in - all this carried on a spine of lipsmacking acidity. Delicious stuff. Plenty of 1990 power wed to noble poise, with a superb sense of finesse, delineation throughout. This is DP in top form. Absolutely delicious. (95 pts.) -
1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Fourth time out with the 1990 Krug, in magnum format this time, and this was by a long way the best showing so far. In fact, it was the best amongst three 1990 magnums on the night, besting a nice Cristal, and an absolutely lovely Dom Periognon. This started with a beautiful strong nose - all nutty, caramelly and creamy, with a good bit of apple fruit aromas and then an earthy mineral undertow after that. It was the palate that really wowed me though. A couple of previous bottles felt a little tired. This though was seemed powerful, inexorable, even youthful, with a seam of of juicy, citrus acidity sewn through a really powerful attack and mid-palate of apple, cream and butter flavours. Superb stuff. It did seem a bit big, maybe slightly blowsy at first, but it pulled together so beautifully after some time in the decanter (good to decant these older champagnes sometimes), to show a tight, defined, and very focused whole, all the way into a superbly fresh finish of lemons and mineral. This was a perfect comparison with the other two really nice Champagnes actually, quickly overtaking the otherwise fabulous DP 1990 as it took on air. The Krug may not have had the easy deliciousness of either the Cristal or the DP, but it felt more powerful, more defined, with a lovely nobility to it. Top-drawer stuff. Unlike some previous bottles of 1990 Krug, this magnum came across as beautifully complete and almost ageless. Wow. (96 pts.)
THE YOUNG GUNS (PLUS A RINGER)
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2004 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Really, really impressive. Young, of course, but this was bursting with delicious potential. The nose was beautifully deep, with aromatic dark berry fruit along with some bloody, meaty notes - almost a touch of cured meats in there - and then shade of dried earth, some stony mineral, and hints of spice. Wow. Masculine, yet alluring - this was a nose that did not shout, but gently seduced instead. The palate was was the same -with bright, juicy acidity and a backbone of fine, powdery tannins that seemed to drape the palate in a layer of velvet - this framing luscious flavours of black cherries, lined om the mid-palate with a lovely touch of minerality. I thought the wine very fine indeed, with an effortless depth of flavour bound up in such a fine-boned structure, all the way into a long, finely wrought finish. Such elegance here; beautiful clarity and purity too. It was a sinewy, masculine wine, but imbued throughout with a noble elegance. Just starting to show after a long 4 hour decant - this will be world-beater when it grows up. I would love to try it again with another decade under its belt. (95 pts.) -
2001 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This was a smashing wine - equal to great bottles of 2004 Biondi-Santi Riserva and Soldera on the same flight, but singing with a slightly different timbre. The nose on this was the most reserved of its flight, with notes of dusty, earthy and mineral at the fore, and then dark cherries garlanded by a little spice, a little wild herb, and a touch of dried flowers, all this backed with a hint of meatiness. A beautiful nose, but certainly more reserved than its younger brother from 2004. The palate immediately struck my with its purity and elegance. Noble and masculine, with a real quiet complexity to it; there was just so much going on - black cherries, dusty earth, herb, and then a gentle seasoning of spice - all riding on a bed of teeth-coating, powdery tannin into a lovely finish. Higher toned, brighter, maybe even a bit tighter than 2004 - this felt a little less luscious and higher strung at first, but opening up all the time with lovely expressions of fruit and spice - this was a wine that just sung with a lovely clarity. Superb stuff, with its best years way ahead of it too. Like the 2004, I would love to try it again in a decade or so. (95 pts.) -
1999 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Utterly and tragically corked. Pity - this had a lovely, silkily elegant fee to it. Unfortunately flavours were very much scalped by the TCA, and presented with a very cardboardy ring. NR (flawed) -
2004 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Just superb - this clearly stood out as the ringer amidst a lovely flight of Biondi-Santi Riserva (2004, 2001 and 1999). The Soldera was just hauntingly beautiful though. So different, more ready I thought, and every bit as wonderful in its own way. It had such lush nose, full of sweet dark fruit and dark violet flowers twisted around an earthy, brambly core. Somehow masculine, yet perfumed at the same time. The palate was wonderful too - transparent, pure, with a dark cherry expression that was sweeter than on the Biondi-Santi trio, yet with a lovely underpinning of earth and mineral and spice. Past the mid-palate, the wine stretched out into a finish of peppery spice, earth and perfume dried violets, with an intriguing little raisiny, muscat-like linger right at the very end. What a lovely, haunting wine - this was beautiful sweetness wed to a wonderful sense of purity and freshness. Starting to drink really well now too. Wow. (95 pts.)
“WEAKER” VINTAGES FROM THE 1990s
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1998 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
A solid wine, but not quite reaching the heights of the greater vintages. The nose was attractive, with plenty of typicality showing in its notes of strawberries and red cherries infused aromas of dusty earth, dried meats and iron filings, along with a perfume suggestion of rose petals. There was plenty of freshness and purity about the palate, with a chew of sour plums and dried cherries, and again that red rose petal accent - all quite well integrated, yet still showing a good backbone, with a nice sense of mineralogy drawing it into a nicely lengthy finish. I really liked the elegance and clarity of the wine; however, even though it no shortage of power, it somehow seemed to lack some of the midpalate fullness of the better vintages. Altogether, very good without being spectacular. (93 pts.) -
1993 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
At peak, and drinking absolutely beautifully - this was really enjoyable. It had a broad, expressive nose - more masculine than quite a few of the other vintages on show tonight, with lovely deep notes of earth, soil and bloody meat, and then higher-toned accents of black cherries and dried violets, spice and herb. Wow - this was a really entrancing bouquet. The palate had so much finesse to it, with round, sweet notes of ripe cherries on the attack, along with notes of dusty earth and lovely spice, all leading into a long finish. A wine of finesse, precision and definition - this was elegant in masculine, very Tuscan way; the epitome of great Brunello, even in a weak vintage. (93 pts.) -
1995 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
A really strong showing from an unheralded vintage - this was my favourite of the “weaker vintages” flight between the 1993, 1995 and 1998. It had an incredible nose - just bursting out of the glass with tones of dried, dusty earth, meaty cured sausage, and dried dark cherries, all seasoned with high-toned spices and a lovely drift of rose. The palate had a lovely sense of nobility and definition to it, with fine acidity carrying a nice mouthful of red cherries, dried earth and gentle pinpricks of spice leading into a wonderfully long, detailed finish. There was a lovely purity and a rapier-like intensity to the wine, with lots of depth, yet without any weight at all. Delicious now. (94 pts.)
A GREAT TRIO
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1997 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Woah. This was a show-stopper. A simply amazing Brunello, starting to show at peak as well. The 1997 vintage character stood out on the nose - it was rich, ripe and warmly generous, with notes of black cherries, plums and dark berries, along earth, meat and dusty mineral, then sprigs of fresh herb and dried flowers, all deeply integrated into a masculine, yet perfumed bouquet. If ever a wine could bring tears to the eyes just by how good it smells: this would be it. Just wow. The palate was amazing too. It had a lovely round sweetness to its flavours of cherries and red berries, infused with warm, fragrant spice on an almost endless finish. Yet it was also a wine of elegant finesse, with velvet tannins and lovely pricks of freshness enlivening it throughout. Perhaps a little less complex than either the stupendous 1990, or the equally brilliant 1985 that shared its flight, but this was so, so good. An utterly lovely, seductively hedonistic bottle of Brunello - I could drink this all day, every day. (96 pts.) -
1990 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
A towering wine - this was my favourite amongst a line-up including some of the very best vintages of Biondi-Santi from the past 3 decades. It was perhaps quieter, less immediately generous than a few of the other greats one show, but there was a breathtakingly quiet intensity and focus about this wine that made it really stand out. It started with a deep, meaty nose, with its more savoury characteristics wrapped around a core of dark cherries and berries, some gentle spice and herb notes, and then a garland of dried flowers. Superb. The palate had such a wonderful poise and shape to it, with a lovely backbone of fresh acidity fine tannins forming an elegant frame for a subtle, complex unfolding of dark cherries and berries, against a backdrop of earthy, dusty, dried earth, mineral, spice. all drawing into a long finish. There was a real quiet, almost profound intensity and depth to the wine, and yet it was so sinewy, defined, and elegant, that one barely felt its weight at all. Such a compete wine, and so wonderfully integrated as well - this was one of those wine that showed as a beautifully perfect whole. I thought it was showing well a few hours after being double-decanted, but this is one that will age effortlessly through the ages. (97 pts.) -
1985 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
The last of a smashing trio of 1997, 1990 and 1985 - this was utterly brilliant. It started with lovely nose. full of lively scents dark cherries and rose petals, herbs and fragrant spices, with an underlay of dusty earth and soil, and the littlest whiff of hard cheese-like funkiness. A really fresh, inviting bouquet. The palate have a lovely clarity to it, with juicy, orange acidity running through fresh flavours of dark cherries and dried roses lined by a spine of steely mineral. There was a subtlety to the way the wine carried itself, a certain profound focus and depth. Yet, like the nose, there was such a freshness and liveliness to this - it barely showed any older than either the 1997 or the 1990. Great finish too, long and defined, with a quiet kiss of spice right at the end. A wine of clarity and light. his Lovely stuff that still has years ahead of it - while drinking well after half-day of double-decanting, it probably can age for decades more. (96 pts.)
SWEET ENDINGS
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2008 Equipo Navazos Montilla-Moriles Casa del Inca Pedro Ximénez - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles
This was nice and surprisingly drinkable for such a young PX. The nose was beautiful - just dripping with thick aromas of dried grapes and sultanas along with a life of oolong tea and osmanthus flowers, and a little twist of nutty walnuts. As would be expected, the palate was rich, thick, creamy - a veritable mouthful of liquified raisins and sultanas leading into a long spicy finish. It was certainly unctuous, not cloyingly sweet as some PX’s are, with a really well-integrated seam of acidity keeping this real quiet sippable. Perhaps lacking a bit of complexity at this stage, but this was a delicious way to end a fantastic evening. (91 pts.)
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