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Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Biondi-Santi also thinks that his Riserva is one of the world’s longest-lasting wines:
“Even though Italian wine legislation requires that Brunello be matured in barrels for two years and in bottles for four to six months, we allow our wine to age for five to six years before bottling. We traditionally use Slovenian barrels, which further enhance the longevity of the wine. Then we cellar the Brunello in bottles for at least another two years before bringing them to market. Indeed, I doubt very much that, even after all this, the Riserva would be at all drinkable for at least another ten years, because it thrives on its magnificent reputation for longevity. A majority of our wines are sold in Italy, as they become extremely expensive once exported. In the price competition with top French wines, they invariably come in second place."
Biondi-Santi’s annual production volume is approximately 80,000 bottles, which are produced exclusively from the estate’s vineyards: 60,000 bottles of Brunello Annata and, in exceptionally good years, approximately 6,000 bottles of Riserva. The Brunello Annata is a direct descendant of the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva and is also produced during years which enjoy good, but not extraordinary, weather conditions. The Rosso di Montalcino is made using the same grapes as the Bruneelo, but is sold without going through the same ageing process as its big brothers. Despite this, the Rosso is a very highly esteemed wine in Italy, obtaining the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification in 1984.
Vuosikerta 1985
Italy Vintage Report by Tb: 1985 more than made up for the weak year that preceded it. An extremely cold winter ensured the vines went into complete hibernation, until a warm, dry spring woke them up, well-rested, giving them the energy they would need for the varied summer weather. The dry autumn paved the way for the harvest of one of the best vintages of the decade, both in Piedmont and Tuscany. Although little cultivated, 1985 was an exceptional campaign and is best remembered for the genesis of modern wine production, particularly in Tuscany. Led by the Super Tuscans, it saw the start of rapid development in the production of modern fine wines. It also produced a wine that has gone down in history as one of the best in the world - Sassicaia 1985.