Biondi Santi - Brunello di Montalcino 'Il Greppo' RISERVA N° 9660 1945

Biondi Santi – Brunello di Montalcino ‘Il Greppo’ Riserva 1945

This report is dedicated to one of the most legendary bottles in the history of Italian wine. The 1945 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ‘Il Greppo’ from Biondi Santi is not merely an old wine; it is the forefather of modern Italian wine, a living fossil of oenology and a benchmark for absolute longevity, which to this day leaves experts speechless at rare tastings.

1. The Biondi Santi Estate & the ‘Il Greppo’ vineyard

The Biondi Santi estate, situated in the heart of Montalcino in Tuscany, is inextricably linked to the origins of Brunello. Whilst Sangiovese has always been grown in the region , it was Clemente Santi in the 19th century who was the first to recognise that a selected sub-variety of the grape – the Sangiovese Grosso (known locally as ‘Brunello’) – had the potential to produce a red wine with exceptional ageing potential.

His grandson, Ferruccio Biondi Santi, perfected this vision. He standardised the clonal selection, which is still used at the estate today, and defined the Riserva as the highest quality category, produced only in the very best vintages. The ‘Il Greppo’ vineyard is the family’s original, historic estate. The vines grow on calcareous, marine soils at an altitude of around 400 to 500 metres. This altitude ensures significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, which preserves the acidity profile and the complex aromas of the Sangiovese grapes – the crucial foundation for the century-long ageing potential of this wine.

2. The historic 1945 vintage

The year 1945 is remembered in European history as the year that marked the end of the Second World War. In Tuscany, however, it was a year of contrasting weather, which nevertheless proved to be a stroke of luck for viticulture :

• Winter & Spring: There was a harsh but dry winter, which put the vines into a deep dormant phase. Spring was mild and encouraged even flowering.

• Summer: The summer of 1945 was exceptionally hot and dry, with plenty of sunshine. This dry spell drastically reduced the risk of rot and fungal diseases.

• Harvest: The harvest took place under ideal, clear conditions. The grapes achieved perfect phenolic ripeness, combined with high sugar levels and – crucially – exceptionally high acidity, which gives the wine its proverbial ‘iron grip’. Oenologists now regard the 1945 vintage for Montalcino as one of the greatest classics of the 20th century, comparable to the vintages of 1955, 1964 and 2010.

3. Vinification and Ageing (The ‘Iron School’)

The production of the 1945 Riserva strictly adhered to the traditional, almost archaic-seeming methods that Biondi Santi still follows today (albeit with more modern technology):

• Maceration period: The destemmed grapes (stems were completely removed to avoid bitter compounds) were left to macerate for up to 25–30 days on the skins. During this extremely long extraction phase, the tannin-rich pips and skins were de-stemmed, which built up the massive yet fine-grained tannic structure.

• Fermentation: Fermentation took place using natural, wild yeasts in open, cement-lined tanks. Temperatures were not actively cooled – a risk that, thanks to the climatic conditions in 1945, worked perfectly.

• Ageing: The crucial step was the ageing process. The wine matured for at least 3 to 4 years in large, re-used Slavonian oak barrels (botti). These huge barrels (often 20 to 50 hectolitres) impart only minimal oak aromas (no vanilla-toast clichés), but instead promote a gentle, slow micro-oxidation that polymerises the tannins and transforms the fruit aromas into complex tertiary aromas.

• Bottle ageing: After bottling, the wine was stored for many more years (in some cases over a decade) in the estate’s dark, cool cellar before it was even released. The 1945 vintage did not officially reach the market until the late 1950s.

4. The Legend: Tasting Notes and ‘Eternity’

The 1945 Il Greppo Riserva is not famous because it shone as a young wine, but because it was still breathtakingat 50, 60 or even 70 years of age.

The most famous tasting took placein April 1994 – when the wine was already 49 years old. At the invitation of the Biondi Santi family, international wine critics (including big names such as Nicolas Belfrage and James Suckling) tasted several vintages. The 1945 vintage was described by almost everyone present as a touch of the divine .

Typical tasting notes (summarised from several historical tasting reports):

• Colour: Garnet red, with a slight, brick-coloured orange rim (a sign of maturity), but surprisingly dense and clear – no brown, dull-looking sherry tinge.

• Nose (bouquet): Incredibly complex and vibrant. Instead of overripe compote, the aroma is dominated by dried cherries, wild berries, the finest tobacco, leather, truffles, liquorice, dried rose petals and a mineral, herbal note (eucalyptus/sea salt). Above all, however: no vinegar, no off-notes (cork or oxidation), but pure ethereality.

• Palate: The moment that left critics in awe . The wine possesses an acidity-driven, lively structure, which is almost reminiscent of a young Barolo. The tannins are fully integrated, silky, yet still present (“a framework of the finest lace”). The mouthfeel is slender yet infinitely long; the finish often lasts several minutes. It is a wine of intelligence, not of power – pure Sangiovese in its most original, unadorned form.

5. Rarity and the Market (Auction Records)

The 1945 Riserva is one of the rarest bottles in the world. Production was low at the time (presumably only a few thousand bottles), and most were consumed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, this wine only turns up at exclusive auctions (e.g. Sotheby’s, Christie’s) or in the cellars of ultra-wealthy collectors. Prices range from over 2,000 to 4,000 euros per bottle – provided it is offered in its original packaging (with an intact cork and the correct fill level). A distinctive feature is the extremely low fill level (often down to the upper third of the shoulder), resulting from natural evaporation over 80 years – at Biondi Santi, however, this is not regarded as a fault, but as a mark of quality resulting from slow maturation.

6. Significance for the wine world

Why is this wine so important?

1. Proof of Sangiovese’s longevity: Before 1945, the wine world believed that only Bordeaux Cabernets or Burgundy Pinots could age to such an extent. Biondi Santi proved the opposite.

2. The anti-modernist: Whilst in the 1990s the ‘Super Tuscans’ with small barriques and opulent fruit took the market by storm, the 1945 vintage remained the shining example of purist, acidity-driven classicism – and taught a new generation of winemakers that large casks and long ageing periods are unbeatable.

3. Cork drama: In recent years, auctions have repeatedly seen heated discussions about the condition of the original natural corks, which are often brittle. The Biondi Santi winery now offers a free ‘recorking’ service for old bottles – but for the 1945 vintage, this is a delicate undertaking, as any movement disturbs the sediment-rich structure.

7. Conclusion

The Brunello di Montalcino ‘Il Greppo’ Riserva 1945 is far more than just a drink. It is a historical artefact that celebrates the triumph of time over modernity. Anyone lucky enough to taste this bottle will experience not the flavour of dried fruit or wood, but the pure, crystalline expression of a place (Il Greppo) and a year (1945).

It is the Holy Grail of Italian wine – unrivalled in its ability, even after 80 years, to reveal youthful freshness, breathtaking acidity and an almost metaphysical depth. It remains the ultimate proof that the greatest luxury in wine is not concentration, but balance and longevity.

Drinking window (as of 2026): Surprisingly , experts still consider this wine to be readyto drink, though with a caveat: it must be left standing upright for at least 24 hours before consumption (to allow the sediment to settle) and should onlybe decantedinto a large, bulbous carafe if absolutely necessary. Oenologists do not rule out its potential to age for a further 10–20 years – a living miracle of nature.