2022 Rosso di Montalcino, Biondi-Santi, Tuscany, Italy

OVERVIEW

One of the world's most famous wine producers and an Italian cult classic, the 2020 Rosso di Montalcino from Biondi-Santi is an absolute show stopper of a wine that must be decanted for 6 hours+ if enjoying today but can also be cellared for maximum enjoyment in the future.

Full of the typical Sangiovese cherries and red fruit, this Rosso di Montalcino is a little reticent at first but with an afternoon in the decanter will reward the patient with complexity, balance, length and delicious purity of fruit. It will be interesting to see how the cooler 2018 vintage matures over the years.

CRITIC REVIEWS

A super-restrained wine showing complex aromas of rhubarb, strawberries, violets, raspberries and blood oranges. The attack is quite ripe, with dense, velvety tannins soaked in fruit, a medium body and refreshing lifted acidity. The finish is long and savory. Drink or hold. 94 Points James Suckling

FOOD PAIRING INSPIRATION

This Rosso di Montalcino will pair nicely with a range of tangy cheeses like Pecorino or Parmesan, creamy risottos and classically well with steak, game and hearty meat stews. We at CoolerSomm HQ enjoy this wine with Osso Buco and it's our top tip as a pairing to try.

VINTAGE AND WINEMAKING

The 2022 growing season in Montalcino, which shaped the Rosso di Montalcino wines, was defined by heat, drought, and an early cycle, but ultimately delivered surprisingly balanced results.

Winter and early spring were mild and dry, leading to early budbreak and accelerated vine development. From late spring onward, temperatures climbed well above average. Flowering and fruit set occurred under hot, dry conditions, resulting in smaller bunches and naturally reduced yields, which helped concentrate flavors but also increased vine stress.

Summer 2022 was one of the hottest and driest in recent memory, with prolonged heatwaves and little rainfall. Growers relied heavily on canopy management to protect grapes from sunburn and excessive dehydration. While water stress was significant, the old vines and varied elevations around Montalcino helped maintain vine resilience.

Crucially, late-summer rainfall and cooler nights in August and September allowed ripening to rebalance. These conditions supported phenolic maturity, preserved acidity, and refined tannins. Harvest began earlier than average, generally in September, with grapes arriving healthy and well concentrated.

Overall, Rosso di Montalcino 2022 tends to show ripe fruit, good aromatic intensity, moderate structure, and freshness despite the heat, making it a vintage marked more by precision and resilience than power.

PRODUCER NOTES

Biondi-Santi is a label of cult status and the estate is known as the founder of Brunello. The prestige of the Greppo estate dates back to the 19th century, with the great wine culture of the family that owned this estate, whose terroir has an extraordinary knack for Sangiovese. Clemente began making wine using 100% Sangiovese and passed his wine knowledge to his nephew Ferruccio Biondi Santi, who, in 1888 produced the first bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, the rest, as they say, is history.

This 150 hectare property has 26 hectares of vineyard split over three sites. The oldest of these plots is Il Greppo, laying at 500 metres above sea level; this is where the winery and house are situated. They also have vines down the hill to the east of Montalcino and to the north, close to Montosoli. 

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SERVICE AND STORAGE TIPS

This wine should be decanted for at least 6 hours if opened young. The wine will improve over the following decade and should be cellared at 12°C.

This wine should be served between 16-18°C.

DELIVERY INFORMATION

Delivery is free when you spend over £150. For orders under this amount then a £9.99 delivery charge will be applied.

We use a tracked UPS delivery service who provide text and email tracking updates.

Every bottle sold by CoolerSomm is subject to our quality guarantee. If a wine is corked or faulty, we will replace it.

2020 Rosso di Montalcino, Biondi-Santi, Tuscany, Italy