Bramasole La Braccesca Syrah DOC 2019

Beautiful, deep and intense ruby red in the glass with a really elegant touch of plums, ripe cherries, a bit of black pepper and licorice. A wine with lots of power, but still nicely balanced and with silky tannins supported by an impressive freshness. Long finish with pleasant vanilla and cherry.

After careful selection and manual harvesting, de-stemming and gentle pressing, the must is transferred to stainless steel tanks, where the alcoholic fermentation begins. The maceration on the grape skins first takes place at low temperatures to extract the aromatic components as best as possible, then at a controlled temperature of 28 degrees to obtain tannins and color. The wine rests on the grape skins for around 20 days before being transferred to new and old French barriques, where the malolactic fermentation takes place. This is followed by aging in barriques for 18 months and after bottling in the second spring after the harvest and further aging in bottles for 14 months. Only then is Bramasole ready for sale.

La Braccesca extends over 508 hectares, of which 340 hectares are planted with vines. Two very different grapes grow here. The very traditional Nobile di Montepulciano and, more innovatively, the Syrah in Cortona, a new wine region with great potential. The name La Braccesca comes from an old farm that once stood on the site. It was owned by the Count of Bracci, who had an armor-clad, sword-bearing arm as a coat of arms. Precisely that coat of arms is today the logo of the winery, which Marchesi Antinori has owned since 1990. The 340 hectares of vineyards at La Braccesca are divided in two. The 237 hectares lie on the border between the towns of Montepulciano and Cortona, while the 103 hectares reach down to Montepulciano itself and contain three parcels known for producing great red wines: Cervognano, Gracciano and Santa Pia. Around Montepulciano, arch-Italian Sangiovese grows primarily, while Syrah grows in the Cortona area and is joined by a bit of Merlot. On the slopes just below Cortona, Syrah grows in soil that is an ideal mix of clay, silt and sand in a dry climate – conditions that perfectly allow the grapes to express their full potential in a relatively new area, which is an exciting challenge for Marchesi Antinori .
The storage cellars are built underground and have two separate areas depending on which type of barrel is used. The good Italians use different casks, barriques and tonneaux of American, French or Hungarian oak to hit exactly the right notes that let the wine show its good sides.

94 POINTS
Wine Spectator
Reviewed by Wine Spectator
A solidly built red permeated with blackberry, black cherry, ink and black pepper flavors. This tightens up, a good sign for future development, yet remains balanced and long. Offers terrific concentration and freshness.
94 POINTS
Vinous
Reviewed by Eric Guido
Crushed ashen stone, peppery black fruits, camphor and lifting mineral tones waft up from the 2019 Syrah Bramasole. This is soft and deeply textural, guided by brisk acids and salty minerals which mix with its masses of ripe dark fruits to create a harmonious expression. Aggressive tannins saturate towards the close. There’s so much potential here and with incredible length. A “wow” wine for acid; one that will provide a long and steady evolution in the cellar.
94 POINTS
YourWineGuide
“LOTS OF DEPTH”
Nice depth with a medium concentration. Welcoming with a nice freshness. You sense lots of depth and the aftertaste is long, dominated by black pepper notes.
93 POINTS
Wine Enthusiast
Reviewed by Wine Enthusiast