The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is just as compelling today as it was the many times I tasted it from cask with Franco Biondi Santi prior to his passing, although it naturally has less of the immediacy it had out of oak. Layered, silky and translucent, yet with remarkable depth, the 2010 Riserva is a wine of intensity, power and the classic austerity that has been such a signature of these Brunellos for the last several decades. Readers will have to be patient.

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. jamessuckling.com

The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is slow to open and I spent a good amount of extra time with this wine as a result. It was well worth the wait. The intensity inches up in baby steps. With time, the wine is splendent and focused with a very direct and impactful delivery of aromas. It also shows a specifically floral personality with dried rose petal or blue violet that I did not recognize in most of the other Brunellos from this classic vintage. There is power and determination behind those feminine aromas. The wine makes a lasting impression in the mouth, thanks to the textual tightness of its tannins and the refreshing crispness of the acidity. The Riserva sees fruit sourced from Il Greppo's oldest vines (25-years-old and more) and the wine ages in traditional oak casks for three years. Some 13,600 bottles were made. - Wine Advocate #223, March 2016