Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Biondi-Santi is the founding estate of Brunello di Montalcino, the wine Clemente Santi conceived in the 1860s and his grandson Ferruccio established with the first single-variety Sangiovese vineyard in Montalcino. This Brunello is 100 percent Sangiovese from the estate's vineyards in southern Tuscany, where galestro and clay soils over a stony subsoil give firm tannin, deep colour and the variety's hallmark acidity. Montalcino's warm, well-ventilated climate and elevation extend the growing season, building structure and aromatic complexity. The wine is aged at length in large Slavonian oak casks, the estate's traditional format, where slow oxygen exchange polishes the tannins and draws out tertiary notes of leather and tobacco without imposing new-oak flavour. The colour is deep ruby moving to garnet. The nose is complex, with dark cherry, plum, leather, dried herbs, tobacco and earth. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm, fine-grained tannin, high acidity and a long savoury finish built for the cellar. This is a wine to decant and to keep. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees. It suits roast and braised red meats, game and aged hard cheeses.