2017 La Braccesca Vigneto Santa Pia Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

The estate's name comes from the historic farm 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 (1,255 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 stretches 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 Sangiovese grapes for this Vigneto Santa Pia Riserva coming from the DOCG Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are taken to the cellar after manual picking with an already strict selection in the vineyard and immediately destemmed and gently crushed. The must is transferred to stainless steel tanks where alcoholic fermentation took place at a controlled temperature of 26-28 °C, a method that preserves the typical aromas of Sangiovese. The maceration on the skins lasted 20 days and upon completion of the process the wine was transferred to 500 liters of tonneaux (oak) for malolactic fermentation and barrel aging which lasted about 12 months. The wine was then aged in bottle for another 20 months before being released for sale. The long aging ensures that this is a Riserva according to the regulations and this wine is only made in the good years and the wine connoisseur knows that 2016 was a top year in Tuscany.

The Antinori La Braccesca Santa Pia Riserva has an intense ruby ​​red color. The nose is dominated by fragrant notes of violets, typical of Sangiovese, nicely balanced with spicy hints of vanilla. The taste is fresh, savory and lively with silky tannins. The finish is long, generous with a remarkable vanilla finish.