The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva pours a deeper red color, while the nose reveals aromas of strawberries, anise spice, and roses, along with incense. Medium-bodied, refreshing, and mouthwatering, with a refined feel, it displays a ripe citrus-noted profile on the palate, with a hint of dusty earth and a long, clean finish. It's a beautiful and freshly styled Riserva to enjoy over the coming 20 years. Bottled in June of 2023, 9000 bottles were produced.

When we talk about the high arts and great artists we don't usually say we “like” them. We say we are impressed by them, we revere them, we are moved by them. The Biondi-Santi 2018 Brunello Riserva brings that distinction to my mind. It's not important that I like this wine (even though I do); it's that I feel I learn from it. — Danielle Callegari

Really pretty aromas of red cherries, cedar, flowers and flint. This has medium to full body, juicy fruit, fine tannins and a long, long finish. The texture is very impressive with ultrafine, velvety tannins. Caresses the palate, building at the end. Linear and structured. Very Biondi-Santi in its nature with the direct drive in the finish. Drink after 2028.

97+ The Biondi-Santi 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva saw its fruit harvested after warm end-of-summer winds dried the fruit after rains. It resulted in fruit with extra pulp and thinner skins. This Riserva has a medium-plus body and delivers generous aromas of dark cherry, underbrush, potting soil and sweet spice. Its structure remains fine and the alcohol content is a very contained 13.3%. The wine is essentially elegant and fine with a slightly rounder or soft fruit profile that cedes to bright freshness and a long, polished finish.

97+ Deeper, darker and more sensual than the Annata, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva entices with a whiff of lavender and sage before giving way to dried cherry, cedar dust, worn leather and spice. It's surprisingly lifted and finessed, with a salty core of savory minerals to offset its ripe wild berry fruits. A jolt of stimulating acidity maintains harmony throughout. It finishes with admirable length and a saline character, leaving hints of licorice that fade slowly. Despite the growing season, the 2018 comes across as a classic in the making, showing the structure and balance required throughout to promote cellaring. Sadly, production totaled only 8,000 bottles. - Eric Guido

Below-average temperatures and abundant rain characterised this vintage, which saw northerly winds dry out the grapes just before harvest began on 16 September. Viticulture and winemaking director Federico Radi (who joined Biondi-Santi in 2017) is exuberant about the 'balletic' nature of this vintage: 'Everything is so delicate here: delicacy and elegance with amazing finesse of the tannins.' A graceful structure supports an array of sweet autumnal notes: rain-soaked earth, wet stones, sous-bois, sour cherry and liquorice. Vinified using a pied de cuve (indigenous yeast from the vineyard used as a fermentation starter) in oak barrels and concrete tanks, then aged 36 months in Slavonian oak barrels.

This red is all about finesse, its strawberry, cherry, currant and floral flavors framed by a streak of flinty mineral and light spice notes. Not showy but delivers terrific harmony and a superlong aftertaste. Best from 2029 through 2048.