During a visit to London earlier this week, Biondi-Santi CEO Giampiero Bertolini shared how the famed Brunello di Montalcino producer has adapted to survive and thrive. Biondi-Santi is widely credited as the “founder” of Brunello di Montalcino, the famed wines made from Sangiovese grown in the area of the town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany. Bertolini began by giving a brief lesson on the company’s history, noting how Clemente Santi began trying to create age-worthy, single varietal wines in the mid-19th century. His grandson, Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, would continue this work, as Bertolini explained: “His wines had a high reputation, because he was packaging Sangiovese in a Bordelaise bottle, not a fiasco, as was traditional in Tuscany.” In 1888, the first bottle to carry the name ‘Brunello di Montalcino Biondi-Santi Tenuta Greppo’ was unveiled. “I like to remember two other members of the family too,” Bertolini explained. “Tancredi, Feruccio’s son, who was an incredible winemaker and consultant to estates across Italy. He became famous because in 1967 he drew up the specifications for Brunello di Montalcino when the DOC was created. That was a recognition of the family’s ability to produce high quality wine in a very specific way.” “Tancredi also protected all of our riservas during the Second World War when the Germans invaded by walling them up in the cellar. Today we still have all the riservas since 1888 thanks to Tancredi.” The other family member Bertolini singled out was Franco, Tancredi’s son: “Franco was a great man, a
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Fine Wine
