Sometimes our pre-arrival features are meticulously planned; sometimes we find them at the very last minute; sometimes they are right under our noses! File today's offer under scenario #3. This distinctive bottle beckoned from our wine rack for several days before we opened it, and once we did, we were blown away!

2021 was a near-perfect vintage in Tuscany (99 points, Wine Spectator), characterized by abundant spring rains, a hot summer with ample sunshine, and ideal harvest conditions. It is the best vintage Tuscany has experienced in decades; the wines are spectacular, deftly balancing ripe fruits, terroir-driven characters, and structure. 

The Biondi Santi family is legendary in Italian winemaking, with roots going back to the 1800s when Ferruccio Biondi Santi planted the first Montalcino vineyard with vines of a selected sangiovese clone called sangiovese grosso, otherwise known as brunello. His grandson, Franco Biondi Santi, was known as “The gentleman of Brunello”; he and Ferruccio are heralded as the inventors of one of Italy's most revered appellations, Brunello di Montalcino.

Back in the 1980s, Ferruccio's great-grandson Jacopo bought an estate further south in the heart of the Maremma zone. He believed that Maremma’s forested terroir, with its coastal influences and wider day-to-night temperature variations, would make magic with the family's historic sangiovese clone. The magnificent wines of Castello di Montepò are a testament to his insight and talents. Today, winemaker Tancredi, Jacopo’s son, is at the helm of the estate and has been instrumental in endearing his cuvées to legions of wine lovers, including members of the press, from all over the world.
(adapted from importer notes) 

The 2021 Biondi Santi Castello di Montepò Toscana Sassoalloro IGT is a monovarietal crafted from 100% sangiovese grosso BBS11, a sangiovese clone owned exclusively by the Santi family. This rich, lushly-textured wine has aromas of raspberries, cherries, and plums laced with notes of violets, baking spices, and tobacco. The palate is full-bodied and resplendent with flavors of blackberries, cassis, black raspberries, and black cherries. Accents of brambly earth, tobacco, cocoa, sweet spices, and vanilla unfold layer by layer. The tannins are pliant and beautifully integrated, contributing to the wine’s velvety texture. A long, persistent finish leaves an elegant impression on the palate, with lingering notes of fruit and spice. 

The 2021 Sassoalloro was released into the market very recently and has not been reviewed by the wine press, but its multiple excellent reviews from past vintages are a harbinger of what we expect to hear about this wine in the near future. Get in on it before it becomes hard to get!

Order the 2021 Sassoalloro between now and Wednesday, September 17th, at 5 PM. Orders will be ready for pickup on Friday, September 18, after 5 PM.

ABV: 14%