2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva blossoms in the glass in a display of understated power mixed with purity. This unfolds more like a whisper than a shout, wafting up with a delicate bouquet of fresh violets, lavender and a dusting of shaved cedar and clove. With time, it deepens further, pulling you down to earth with aromas of wild strawberry and underbrush. The textures are like pure silk gently draped across the palate, but what they leave behind is a more engaging and classic mix of salty mineral tones and tart red berries, all lifted by juicy acidity. This then takes another turn, now toward the savory spectrum, as wild herbal and inner earth tones mix with a fine layer of sweet tannin to create a youthfully austere yet not overtly structured expression, leaving a nuance of tobacco to linger long. The 2013 presents an intriguing interpretation of the Biondi Santi Riserva, one that shrugs off the grippy, gruff, almost rustic tannins of the past in exchange for a more youthfully harmonious expression. Will it age? Maybe not for 50 years, but considering that this beauty was open and tasted over the course of three days, I'm convinced that it will be thrilling for the next few decades to come.

The Biondi-Santi 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a stunning wine from all points of view. Seamless integration and elegant complexity are what stand out, and it's worth dedicating a few extra lines to the aromatic depth that is put so beautifully on display as the wine slowly unfolds. The bouquet starts off with wild cherry, earth, wet ash, crème de cassis and pruny chocolate. With extra time, there are hints of dried tobacco leaf, sandalwood and mossy forest floor. These lead to a fine tail of dried herb, bay leaf and a touch of rusty nail. The Riserva comes in numbered bottles, and I opened number 04277. To the palate, the wine is streamlined and silky with smooth tannins and a well-managed 13.5% alcohol content. The oak presence is reduced to a minimum, offering mild hints of spice and the delicate sandalwood or dried fig aroma I described above. Fresh acidity is the glue that gives the wine buoyancy and staying power. At this young stage, this 2013 vintage could be considered a bit shy or slow to start, but this will play out to great advantage in the long term as the wine continues its bottle evolution.

A fresh, linear 2013 with cherry, mushroom and cedar character. Lots of blue fruit as well. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, polished tannins and a creamy finish. Still very tight, this needs time to open if you want to drink it now, Try decanting two or three hours in advance. Best after 2024.