tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080161909822087430.post6420547053462288469..comments2024-03-02T00:28:05.502-05:00Comments on Wine -- Mise en abyme: Visit to Biondi-Santi, Montalcino, ItalywineORLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06163150468541915038noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080161909822087430.post-6770000611215634542011-07-15T13:34:14.803-04:002011-07-15T13:34:14.803-04:00Thanks Chris. As you mentioned, the wines that we...Thanks Chris. As you mentioned, the wines that we tasted were opened the day before after a little had been poured off. Of course they were barely affected by this exposure to oxygen, they were so powerful. Look forward to bustin' open some Biondi Santi with you.wineORLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06163150468541915038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080161909822087430.post-34066818205024652002011-07-15T11:02:09.266-04:002011-07-15T11:02:09.266-04:00Hey Keith -
Nice post. To this day, the visit to...Hey Keith -<br /><br />Nice post. To this day, the visit to Biondi Santi remains one of my favorite wine moments. I went their with my wife, and we were fortunate, Franco Biondi Santi was there and spent six hours with us (felt bad for the translator who was there the whole time as I asked every question possible; I am sure she switch to grappa when she got home). <br /><br />It was there that Franco introduced me to the true concept of slow aeration, opening some of the bottles we tasted 16 hours beforehand. His method and belief, is that his Brunello should be uncorked with a few ounces poured out, just to increase the air to wine ratio, and then left to "aerate" for 16 hours. To this day I still practice this method on his Brunello and many Barolo. I was fortunate enough to go back again with Sergio Esposito a year later, and Franco recognized me and rattled off the vintages I had tasted from the previous visit. Not bad for the Gentleman of Montalcino who was approaching his 90s at the time. When we got back we left some Biondi Santi open to aerate for two weeks, and the wines were still kicking - few wines have this structure.<br /><br />While many are quick to go the Brunello of Soldera these days for the pinnacle expression, no one can beat the history and kindness of this man and his estate and what they have done for Italian wine. Glad you got to enjoy the wine, history and estate. We will have to crack some Biondi Santi at out next tasting.<br /><br />All the best,<br />ChrisChris Deashttp://www.italianwinemerchants.comnoreply@blogger.com