2018 La Braccesca Bramasole Syrah Cortona

The estate's name comes from the historic farmhouse that once stood there, owned by the Count of Bracci, whose coat of arms appears on the estate's logo; an arm covered in armor brandishing a sword. Marchesi Antinori acquired the estate in 1990 and La Braccesca now belongs to the Antinori group.

The estate extends over an area of ​​508 hectares (1255 acres) and the vineyards cover an area of ​​340 hectares (840 acres) divided into two blocks: the first is 366 hectares (904 acres) of which 237 (585 acres) are planted with vineyards and located on the border between the towns of Montepulciano and Cortona. The other block is 142 hectares (350 acres), of which 103 (254 acres) are planted with vineyards, it extends all the way to Montepulciano and includes three of the most famous plots known for the production of great red wines: Cervognano , Santa Pia and Graciano.

The Bramasole Syrah comes from the Cortona DOC. This is a small appellation in the north of the Montepulciano area and in one of the most fertile and favorable areas of Tuscany for grape growing and wine making. The Cortona DOC certification guarantees the quality of a wide range of red, white and dessert wines, produced on the territory of Cortona and appreciated all over the world. The DOC is named after the beautiful city of Cortona. Cortona is an ancient Etruscan city. It is located north of Lake Tuscan in Tuscany, southeast of Arezzo in the province of Arezzo. In ancient times, Cortona was in the Etruscan Union of the Twelve Cities. In 310 BC the city was conquered by the Romans and in the 5th century by the Goths.

Upon arrival in the cellar, the manually harvested Syrah grapes for this Bramasole Syrah were destemmed and gently crushed. The must has been transferred to stainless steel tanks and cold soaked for 3 days to extract aromatic compounds and flavors earlier. The fermentation, which took place at a controlled temperature of about 28 °C (82 °F). The husks remained in contact with the must for about 15 days. The wine went into small French oak barrels (barriques), both new and second year, where malolactic fermentation took place. Bramasole has matured for about 18 months and then had a further 6 months of bottle aging. The Bramasole is made from the sunniest part of the vineyard in one of the best areas of Cortona for the production of premium quality Syrah. Bramasole is a wine that can age very nicely.

The Antinori La Braccesca Bramasole 2017 has a deep, intense ruby ​​red color. The nose is soft and elegant with notes of ripe cherries and blackberries mingling with hints of spice and sensations of sweet licorice. The taste is powerful, rich and balanced. Pleasant tannins are well established and balanced by a smooth texture. In the long aftertaste we also taste some vanilla and blackberries.