This insightful tasting was hosted by the seasoned duo of Peter Büel and Dave Gregor, whose reputations as discerning wine connoisseurs precede them. Their exclusive events are highly anticipated, so it was a privilege to join the table for the first time. The evening offered a comparative exploration of two of Tuscany’s most storied estates: Soldera and Biondi Santi. The outcome, while not unexpected, provided a vivid illustration of the pecking order in modern Brunello – a category these estates helped define. Biondi Santi stood no chance against Soldera – which for a long time, I have considered to be Italy’s best wine. This was more than confirmed tonight. What I struggle a little with, is why Biondi Santi is not doing better. It is a decent Brunello for sure, but from my encounters not much more. Many others besides Soldera are better today. Poggio die Sotto, Il Marroneto, Cerbaiona, Le Ragnaie to name a few. As an initiator of the Brunello category and with very good holdings higher up the hill, terroir is certainly not standing in their way. Yet, they only make a wine of medium complexity and often rustic tannins that tonight looked almost amateurish against Soldera. My comments may trouble Biondi Santi die harts but make the test yourself is all I can say.
Soldera, by contrast, delivered everything its reputation promised and more. This is a wine that transcends the confines of Brunello di Montalcino, akin to what Château Rayas achieves in Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. The 2006 vintage in particular dazzled with a symphonic interplay of aromas: vibrant raspberry, cured meats, and sweet spices layered with earthy undertones. The palate showcased polished tannins and a weightless elegance, its complexity unfolding with a ballerina-like poise. Soldera is really a wine to die for, though its desirability is reflected in its ever-escalating price—€500 or more per bottle, a stark contrast to the €75-€150 range typical for other top-tier Brunello wines. This price gap, reminiscent of icons like Rayas, Leroy, or DRC, speaks to its singular status.
Biondi Santi – Founder of Brunello
Biondi-Santi is the birthplace of Brunello di Montalcino, and thus of Italy’s most prestigious red wines. The estate, located in the Montalcino region, was founded in the 19th century and is credited with developing the modern style of Brunello di Montalcino under Ferruccio Biondi Santi in the late 1800s. He was among the first to vinify Sangiovese Grosso (a local clone of Sangiovese) separately, aging it extensively to create a structured and long-lived wine.
Highlights of Biondi-Santi:
- Style: The winery is known for its traditional approach, including long aging in Slavonian oak casks, which preserves the purity and elegance of the Sangiovese grape.
- Riserva: Their flagship wine, the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, is produced only in exceptional vintages and is renowned for its extraordinary longevity.
- Terroir: The estate’s vineyards, particularly the historic Il Greppo estate, are situated at higher altitudes, giving the wines their signature elegance, vibrant acidity, and aromatic complexity.
- Legacy: The family maintained its traditional style through generations, with Franco Biondi Santi becoming a guardian of the estate’s reputation until his passing in 2013. The French luxury group EPI acquired the estate in 2017, with plans to preserve its legacy while investing in its future.
Unfortunately, almost all old Biondi Santi Riservas were over the hill or corked
Soldera – Italy’s Rayas
Background on the estate
Soldera (Case Basse) is one of the most renowned and revered estates in the Montalcino region of Tuscany, producing wines that stand as benchmarks for purity, complexity, and longevity. Established by Gianfranco Soldera in 1972, the estate focused exclusively on Sangiovese and took an uncompromising approach to viticulture and winemaking.
- Estate and Philosophy: Soldera’s vineyards at Case Basse, located southwest of Montalcino, are cultivated with extreme care. The estate emphasizes biodiversity, with Gianfranco Soldera famously maintaining a natural ecosystem including extensive gardens and forests. Organic and sustainable methods were used long before these became mainstream.
- The Wines: Soldera produced Brunello di Montalcino until 2006. After a disagreement with the Brunello Consortium in 2006, Soldera began labeling his wines simply as “Toscana IGT” to retain complete creative control. These wines remain among the most sought-after in the region. The flagship wine, Soldera Case Basse, is a 100% Sangiovese that is aged extensively in large Slavonian oak casks (sometimes up to 6 years), resulting in a wine of extraordinary finesse and complexity.
- Style: Soldera wines are known for their transparency, elegance, and aromatic complexity. They often feature notes of red cherry, wild herbs, flowers, and earth, with vibrant acidity and a fine tannic structure. They are designed for long aging and reward patience, often showing their best decades after release.
- Legacy: Gianfranco Soldera passed away in 2019, but his uncompromising legacy lives on through the continued production of the estate’s singular wines under his family’s stewardship, Graziella Soldera and children.
The consortio dispute and vandalism saga
His leaving of the DOCG stems from disagreements between Gianfranco Soldera and the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium related to the integrity and standards of Brunello di Montalcino wines. Soldera was deeply critical of what he perceived as a decline in the quality and authenticity of wines labeled as Brunello, particularly concerns about producers blending unauthorized grape varieties into their wines.
- Strict Sangiovese Purity: Brunello di Montalcino must be made from 100% Sangiovese according to the appellation’s regulations. However, investigations in the early 2000s uncovered that some producers were allegedly blending other grape varieties (such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) to make the wines more approachable or modern in style. Soldera, a staunch traditionalist, viewed this as a betrayal of Brunello’s heritage and terroir.
- Public Criticism: Soldera was highly vocal about his criticisms, accusing some producers of undermining the reputation of Brunello by sacrificing authenticity for commercial gain. This caused significant tension within the Consortium, which represents a range of producers with diverse winemaking philosophies.
- The 2012 Vandalism Incident: While unrelated to the initial disagreement, the infamous 2012 vandalism incident, in which an ex-employee destroyed six vintages of Soldera wine by draining 62,600 liters from his barrels, deepened his distrust of the wine industry. Soldera notably refused to accept compensation from the Consortium, further signaling his desire to distance himself from it entirely. One of the craziest story in all of wine, I have ever heard of.
Soldera, Antinori, Gaja are all Italian wine heroes for the wrong reasons. By focusing on their personal brand instead of the DOCG, they did a lot of damage to their regions.
Italian wine makers struggle to work as a team
While Soldera’s story may inspire you as a tale of conviction and perseverance, it does shed a negative light on the Italian wine industry, especially because it is a repetition of the damaging actions done by Piero Antinori and Angelo Gaja. Both are Italian wine heroes – for all the wrong reasons. Both wanted to create wines as good, expensive and famous as the French and both did it in the completely wrong way. Instead of creating a top single plot DOCG Chianti Classico/Brunello or DOCG Barbaresco/Barolo they created new “fantasy names”, wines with a focus on their own winery’s brand (Solia, Tignanello, Sperrs, Sori Tildin) and not their region. Antinori did it even by importing French grapes. What a silly move! By doing so, he essentially transported the message that if you want to make good wine, you have to use the French grapes. Thus, logical conclusion: everything French in wine is superior to anything Italian. This is not the way to raise the quality and fame of your own wine region. The French, much smarter in this, do it the opposite way. Lafite, Pétrus, Krug, Romanée Conti are ALL first Bordeaux, Champage, Burgundy and only then the wines of an individual producer. When Lafite’s fame raises, all of Bordeaux’s fame rises. When DRC and Leroy make the world’s most expensive wines, everybody knows, it’s a Burgundy. And the best collective brand machine of all, is the teamwork of Champagne. Even Selosse and Moet would never put themselves ahead of the CIVC. Champagne always comes first. The opposite is now true in Tuscany. People have memorized the -aia’s and -ello’s, but but try to bring a Chianti Classico to a high end wine dinner. The looks on the face of the people at the table will quickly let you know that you chose from the wrong drawer.
Tasting Notes
Soldera
2006 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Sangiovese Toscana IGT, 96 Points
Cherry spice, bright acidity, and fine, firm tannins. Structured and intense, with a masculine edge from the vintage. Early drinking window, but opens beautifully with air. 96+
2005 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Pegasos Toscana IGT, 96 Points
Pegasus 2005 by Soldera is a rare, one-off wine created after the 2012 vandalism incident, where six vintages were destroyed. The 2005 vintage, already bottled, was spared and released as a symbol of resilience and gratitude to supporters. Named after the mythical winged horse, Pegasus represents hope and perseverance, with the same meticulous quality and longevity as Soldera’s flagship wines. Its rarity and unique backstory have made it highly collectible and symbolic of the estate’s triumph over adversity. TN: Elegant, Burgundian profile with strawberry, red plum, and cinnamon spice. Bright and balanced with a rare and symbolic backstory. Long-lived and refined.
2004 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 98 Points
Closed at first but opened to reveal black tea, rosehip, cranberry, and sweet spice. Highly complex with precise structure and seamless balance. 98+
2003 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 94 Points
Cooked strawberry and warm vintage notes without oxidation. Sucrosité on the palate with slightly drying tannins, reflecting hydric stress. Rich yet well-managed.
2001 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Tired and off, likely a suboptimal bottle.
1998 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 99 Points
Vibrant and youthful with perfect balance of tannins, fruit, and acidity. Cool red fruit, spice, earth, and cured meat – Sangiovese at its pinnacle. 98-100
1995 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Intistieti, 93 Points
The term “Intistieti” on the 1995 Soldera label refers to one of the two vineyards on the Case Basse estate from which the wine was exclusively sourced in 1995 (usually it is a blend of both vineyards). Soldera used this designation to highlight the unique terroir and characteristics of the Intistieti vineyard. TN: Sour cherry, strawberry, sous bois, and earthy notes with rustic tannins. A bit rougher than typical Soldera; needs time. High standards set the bar here.
Biondi Santi
2006 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino, 92 Points
Torrefaction, clay, and darker fruit. Grippy tannins and rustic character. Less polished than the 2006 Soldera tasted alongside.
2005 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino, 91 Points
Lighter, slightly diluted, with floral notes and a touch of liquorice. Softer tannins but reflective of a weaker vintage.
2001 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino, 91 Points
Earthy and tertiary with clay, rose petals, and cranberry. Grippy tannins still showing.
1997 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino, 90 Points
Earthy and liquorice aromas, slightly oxidized. Drying tannins suggest this is past its prime.
1983 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Unfortunately corked
1982 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 93 Points
Earthy, cedar, and smoke with a touch of mushroom. Melted tannins but slightly lacking tension. Drink soon.
1977 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Fully oxidized
1971 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 93 Points
Soft tannins with mushroom and earthy notes. Feels like a very old Bordeaux—past its typicity but still enjoyable.
1970 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Fully oxidized
1957 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Fully oxidized
1955 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Flawed
Unfortunately corked.
A hommage to Didi’s Frieden
Finally, I want to mention that I was amazed by the Restaurant Didi’s Frieden where the tasting was hosted. The dishes prepared by Chef Markus Furtner were excellent and perfectly matching to the wines served. Even more spectacular was the dessert with something I have never seen before. Each plate had a personalized cartoon drawing on the plate, created by Didi Bruna with patisserie chocolate. Real pieces of art, have a look for yourself. Nothing short of spectacular!
Author: Christian Raubach, WSET III, FWS, WSG Champagne Master
January 2024