2020 La Braccesca 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 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 2017 vintage can be characterized as a vintage with lower than average yields, but with grapes that have reached the highest ripeness and wen perfect for the Sangiovese berry and with excellent aging potential. The winter season was characterized by lower than average temperatures and little rainfall. During the month of April, when the bud burst was already completed, the area was hit by a spring frost that caused a loss of quantity, but did not affect the quality of the grapes. Light rain in early May gave way to a hot, dry summer season that benefited from warm breezes. The harvest started on September 6 with Merlot and ended on September 27 with Sangiovese.

The Sangiovese grapes underwent fermentation stages aimed at preserving the freshness of the fruit and its aromatic profiles. The must was left to macerate on the skins for 10 days, after which it was transferred to large barrels where malolactic fermentation took place. The maturation took about 12 months in the barrels. The wine was bottled in the spring of 2019 and matured in the bottle for about a year before being released in mid-2020 and as Sangiovese knows, some further bottle aging can make the wine even more beautiful.

Antinori's La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2017 is intense ruby ​​red in color. The nose combines notes of fresh red fruit with pleasant hints of vanilla. The palate is well balanced, smooth and notable for its silky tannins and pleasant freshness. It has a characteristic long aftertaste.

FACT: In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send it to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount. You will see the discount if you choose Pickup on the checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for address.