One man, one grape, one hilltop town — and a wine so age-worthy that century-old bottles are still alive. This is the story of Brunello di Montalcino, Italy’s most patient masterpiece.
On a steep hill in southern Tuscany sits the town of Montalcino, and around it grows one of the greatest red wines on earth. Brunello di Montalcino is not old by European standards — it was essentially invented in the 19th century — but no Italian wine is more revered, or more built to endure. Its story is a perfect quarter-turn of obsession and terroir.
The man who invented Brunello: 1888
Brunello has a birthday. In 1888, Ferruccio Biondi-Santi produced the first Brunello di Montalcino as we know it — the founding Biondi-Santi Riserva — building on the earlier work of his grandfather, Clemente Santi.[1] His crucial insight was in the vineyard: Ferruccio isolated a particular clone of Sangiovese, which he called Sangiovese Grosso (the “BBS11” clone), whose small, thick-skinned berries gave wines of extraordinary concentration, structure, and staying power.[1]
One grape, thick skins, long life
Brunello’s rules are strict and its patience legendary. It must be 100% Sangiovese (the Grosso clone), aged for years — classically in large Slavonian oak casks, the botti grandi — and held in bottle before it can be sold, released only around five years after the harvest (six for a Riserva).[2] That discipline was recognized when Brunello di Montalcino became one of Italy’s very first DOCG wines in 1980.[2]
| First made | 1888, by Ferruccio Biondi-Santi[1] |
|---|---|
| The grape | 100% Sangiovese Grosso (the “Brunello” clone, BBS11)[1] |
| The aging | Years in large Slavonian oak (botti), then bottle; ~5 years to release[2] |
| Status | One of Italy’s first DOCG wines, 1980[2] |
| Longevity | The great vintages can age for half a century or more[3] |
The wine that refuses to die
What sets Brunello apart is time. The legendary Biondi-Santi Riservas — from 1888, 1891, 1925, 1945, 1955, 1964 — are among the longest-lived wines ever made, still drinking beautifully generations after the harvest.[3] Few wines reward patience so completely, or make so persuasive a case that great wine is a kind of time travel.
Most wines are made to be drunk. Brunello is made to be inherited.
Montalcino today
Montalcino is now one of the most sought-after names in Tuscan wine, its steep vineyards and medieval fortress drawing pilgrims from around the world. It is the mightiest expression of Sangiovese — the noble, ageless cousin of the valley’s other great wines, from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to the whites of San Gimignano.
Related reading: the history of Tuscan wine · Vino Nobile di Montepulciano · San Gimignano · the Wine History Timeline · Sangiovese, the grape
Frequently asked questions
What grape is Brunello di Montalcino made from?
100% Sangiovese — specifically the Sangiovese Grosso clone that Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated in the 1880s. By law, Brunello may contain no other grape.
Why is Brunello so expensive and long-lived?
Because it is made for the long haul: low-yielding, thick-skinned Sangiovese Grosso, years of aging in large oak casks and bottle before release, and the structure to age for decades.
Sources
- “Biondi-Santi and the Birth of Brunello” (Ferruccio Biondi-Santi made the first Brunello di Montalcino in 1888, building on his grandfather Clemente Santi; isolated the Sangiovese Grosso / BBS11 clone), Biondi-Santi / Wine School Italia. wineschoolitalia.com
- “Brunello di Montalcino” (100% Sangiovese Grosso; aging in large Slavonian oak casks and bottle; released ~5 years after harvest, 6 for Riserva; DOCG status in 1980), Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunello_di_Montalcino
- “Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino” (the legendary long-lived Riserva vintages — 1888, 1891, 1925, 1945, 1955, 1964 — among the longest-lived wines ever made), Quill & Pad / Berry Bros. & Rudd. quillandpad.com
Want to read more?
Books we drew on and recommend for going deeper on wine history.
The World Atlas of WineHugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson
Wine from Grape to GlassJens Priewe
A Concise Guide to Wine and Blind TastingNeel BurtonAs an Amazon Associate, Wine History Tours earns from qualifying purchases. This supports our research at no extra cost to you.
