James Suckling (99)

Baked raspberries, salted yellow plums, figs, walnuts, orange zest, mahogany and some toasted vanilla on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated, very fine bubbles. Dry, with exciting and unique white-pepper and sea-salt notes. Seamless. So harmonious. Salty and spicy clove notes evolving at the end. Amazing precision. Single parcel pinot noir, 100% vinified in oak barrels. No malo. 2g/l dosage. Disgorged November 2020. 6,750 bottles. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

Baked raspberries, salted yellow plums, figs, walnuts, orange zest, mahogany and some toasted vanilla on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated, very fine bubbles. Dry, with exciting and unique white-pepper and sea-salt notes. Seamless. So harmonious. Salty and spicy clove notes evolving at the end. Amazing precision. Single parcel pinot noir, 100% vinified in oak barrels. No malo. 2g/l dosage. Disgorged November 2020. 6,750 bottles. Drink or hold.

As a fine wine connoisseur would attest, choosing the exquisite BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2020 heralds a rich encounter with exceptional French winemaking mastery. Crafted within the celebrated Terrasses du Larzac region, the 2020 production encapsulates the desirable balance of structure and aromatic depth characteristic of these vineyards. BiNaume, the innovative collective producer, ensures an eco-friendly approach predicated on sustainable viticulture and traditional crafting methods without the use of chemical additives in any facet.

Tasting the BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2020 is akin to embarking on a sensory discovery, revealing layers of white fruit aromas seamlessly interwoven with suave citrus hints and a remarkable mineral edge. Its balanced, salivating palate is underscored by profound nuances of Mediterranean herbs and spices. With its undeniable charm and singular vivacity, BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2020 is a harmonious testament to the grandeur of organic French wines.

Indulge in the exquisite BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2022, a compelling embodiment of artisanal wine making skill. Produced amid the enchanting vineyards of Loire Valley, France, this wine encapsulates the vitality of its terroir. A testament to the mastery of small scale producers, BiNaume showcases organic and biodynamic practises, resulting in delightful harmony between the vine and its environment.

The BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2022 is a vibrant expression of Chenin Blanc, the signature grape of the region. Lively and pure, it moulds green apple, citrus and delicate floral tones into a symphony of flavours. Using traditional vinification methods, including bottling without filtering, each sip of this enticing white offers an exhilarating journey for the discerning palate. Notorious for its longevity, this wine can be savoured upon release or matured for a deeply complex experience. Revel in the sophisticated charms of BiNaume La Plante d'a Cote 2022, an enviable addition to any fine wine collection.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Bright garnet. Immediately cool and fresh on the nose. More liquorice than most Brunellos. Elegant and polished leather. Lots of dusty tannin. Dry finish but with a special nobility. Very fragrant without any heat. Very dry on the end - but admirably uncompromising.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is a beautiful wine laced with ethereal balsam tones, licorice, cola, dark fruit and forest floor. The acidity is evident but well-integrated within the thick textural richness of the wine. It closes slowly and quietly with a surprising flurry of delicate floral notes that pop up at the end. This well-built wine will hold for many years. Drink: 2017-2030.

Wine Enthusiast (94)

A few swirls of the glass release delicate, enticing aromas of red berry, rose, iris, tobacco, new leather and star anise on this elegant, almost ethereal wine. The restrained palate sneaks up you, offering tart cherry, crushed strawberry, white pepper and a note of black tea alongside a backbone of firm, refined tannins. Still primary and tight, it needs a few more years to fully open up and develop. Drink 2020–2031.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this stunning red still shows the estate's hallmark of elegance and structure, opening with enticing scents of rose, iris, wild red berry and a whiff of new leather. The vibrant palate is dazzling and almost ethereal, delivering flavors of succulent red cherry, pomegranate, star anise and a hint of forest floor. Taut, polished tannins and bright acidity provide impeccable balance.

Wine Advocate (97+)

The Biondi-Santi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino exudes dark, velvety fruit and concentration while maintaining the signature elegance, suppleness and lithe personalty that distinguishes the iconic Il Greppo estate. I found this new release to be quite distinctive and exquisitely beautiful, setting it apart from many of the past vintages we are most familiar with. This 2015 edition is dark, exuberant and bold, but precise, focused and sharp as well. It will live for years in your cellar, but tasted now in its infancy, the wine shows blackberry, dried cherry, plum and dark cassis. Those dark fruit tones segue to a rich presentation of tar, spice, earth, tobacco and sweet balsam herb. The bouquet offers seamless and smooth transitions. This warm and sunny growing season favored richness and phenolic weight. Wines from Biondi-Santi are made for the long haul, and the fresh acidity that characterizes this estate is the principle reason why. However, I'd argue that this wine from 2015 will evolve over the years not only thanks to the freshness but more so thanks to the important structure of this solid and profound wine.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Aromas of rose petal, dark spice, woodland berries and camphor form the nose on this fragrant, elegant wine. Loaded with finesse, the linear, savory palate features red cherry, orange zest, star anise and black tea alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. It's still youthfully austere, with fantastic aging potential.

Wine Advocate (96)

A delicately sweet note of fresh summer cherry is a precursor to budding complexity and a very articulate bouquet that opens quickly in the glass. Immediately pleasing fruit is a characteristic of the 2017 growing season that had above average temperatures and drought throughout the summer. The resistant 2017 Brunello di Montalcino takes on these challenges without missing a beat. The wine's celebrated acidity and its small berry nuances remain intact. The tannins are silky and the wine's flavors fade slowly even after you have taken your last sip.

Wine Advocate (96)

A delicately sweet note of fresh summer cherry is a precursor to budding complexity and a very articulate bouquet that opens quickly in the glass. Immediately pleasing fruit is a characteristic of the 2017 growing season that had above average temperatures and drought throughout the summer. The resistant 2017 Brunello di Montalcino takes on these challenges without missing a beat. The wine's celebrated acidity and its small berry nuances remain intact. The tannins are silky and the wine's flavors fade slowly even after you have taken your last sip.

Wine Advocate (96)

A delicately sweet note of fresh summer cherry is a precursor to budding complexity and a very articulate bouquet that opens quickly in the glass. Immediately pleasing fruit is a characteristic of the 2017 growing season that had above average temperatures and drought throughout the summer. The resistant 2017 Brunello di Montalcino takes on these challenges without missing a beat. The wine's celebrated acidity and its small berry nuances remain intact. The tannins are silky and the wine's flavors fade slowly even after you have taken your last sip.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The Biondi-Santi 2018 Brunello di Montalcino brings us to a new chapter in the estate's history. This is the first vintage made entirely by the new team (under CEO Giampiero Bertolini and Technical Director Federico Radi) following the 2016 acquisition of Biondi-Santi by the Paris-based EPI holding company. It is no doubt an exciting vintage for them, and it also benefitted from renewed oak casks and other important investments. (To date, about half the old wood has been replaced, and they continue to buy 5% to 10% new casks each year going forward.) The 2018 vintage saw above average rain and cooler conditions that led to slow-ripening. The wine is open-knit in texture and a little leaner in consistency, but it shows fresh acidity and pretty notes of violet, wild cherry and blood orange.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The Biondi-Santi 2018 Brunello di Montalcino brings us to a new chapter in the estate's history. This is the first vintage made entirely by the new team (under CEO Giampiero Bertolini and Technical Director Federico Radi) following the 2016 acquisition of Biondi-Santi by the Paris-based EPI holding company. It is no doubt an exciting vintage for them, and it also benefitted from renewed oak casks and other important investments. (To date, about half the old wood has been replaced, and they continue to buy 5% to 10% new casks each year going forward.) The 2018 vintage saw above average rain and cooler conditions that led to slow-ripening. The wine is open-knit in texture and a little leaner in consistency, but it shows fresh acidity and pretty notes of violet, wild cherry and blood orange.

Wine Spectator (99)

An intense bouquet of tar, dried porcini and mineral gives way to a powerful yet elegant red. Licorice, dried cherry, iron and spice notes fuse together on the palate, culminating in incredible length on the finish. Magnificent, this a Brunello of legendary stature.--Biondi-Santi non-blind retrospective

Vinous (96)

The 1975 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is dark, powerful and intense, with gorgeous depth and fabulous resonance. Dusty black cherries, smoke, spices, tobacco, game and earthiness flesh out in a broad, ample Brunello endowed with magnificent depth, power and intensity. Bright veins of acidity give the finish an extra kick of salinity, but overall this is a dark, brooding Brunello that shows the masculine side of Sangiovese. The textural impression is of unctuous and reminiscent of a demi-glace. The 1975 keeps getting better and better with time in the glass. There is no rush to drink the 1975. Well-stored or reconditioned bottles will drink well for another 10-15 years. This bottle was reconditioned on September 5, 2000.

Vinous (99)

It’s almost impossible to imagine that the 1985 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva La Storica has just celebrated its thirty-sixth birthday. It displays a brilliant ruby red color and amazing clarity in the glass, with only the slightest bricking around the rim. The bouquet alone is enough to keep you at the edge of your seat, as if opening a cedar treasure box to find dusty rose and sour cherry offset by spiced orange, crushed dried sage and just the slightest hint of animal musk. This is total class, cool-toned and poised, seeming to hover across the palate with an air of red inner florals, as tart woodland berries mix with hints of black tea and lemon oils. There’s a bolt of nervous acidity that keeps the experience remarkably fresh, but also adds a highly attractive sweet and sour note. And finally, while structured and youthful in feel, it finishes completely fresh, vibrant even, with dried currants enlivened by nuances of grapefruit and mint that linger on and on. This is an experience wine in every sense of the word, hailing from a dry and warm harvest yet exemplifying the purity of Sangiovese, as well as its ability to mature for well over three decades. The 1985 La Storica comes directly from the winery’s aging vault, and it was reconditioned with a new cork in 2000.

James Suckling (97)

Fantastic aromas of coffee, tea leaf, ripe plums and ginger follow through to a full body, firm and silky tannins and a rich and subtle finish. The is dense and powerful yet very refined and reserved. It needs at least five years to show its true character. One of the most refined Biondi-Santi riservas I can remember. The tannin texture is exceptional. Try in 2020.

Wine Enthusiast (100)

The Riserva 2012 is a quintessential Biondi Santi Riserva, reflecting not just the house style that made the firm famous, but it clearly shows Franco’s own hallmark of extreme elegance. The 2012 is a classic in the making, boasting enticing scents of rose, underbrush, wild red berry, new leather and underlying notes of crushed mint. It has a chiseled palate, featuring Morello cherry, pomegranate, orange zest, star anise and a hint of tobacco framed in taut, polished tannins. Firm acidity lends youthful tension and keeps it impeccably balanced.