2019 | Brancaia | Il Blu Toscana

Red Wine: 2019 | Brancaia | Il Blu Toscana

Aromas of currant, violet and cocoa. A wine of great structure, with elegant, firm and creamy tannins. Rich and intense, with sweet currant and wild berries characterizing the finish.

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Producer: Brancaia

Ratings: JD | 96 JS | 96

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml

ABV: 14.5%

Varietal: Red Blend

Country/Region: Italy, Tuscany

Aromas of currant, violet and cocoa. A wine of great structure, with elegant, firm and creamy tannins. Rich and intense, with sweet currant and wild berries characterizing the finish.

Reviews:

• Jeb Dunnuck: Composed of 80% Merlot and 10% each of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Il Blu is complex and impressive. It needs some time for its aromas to unfurl and reveals brooding black cherry liqueur, leather, anise, and incense. The palate is concentrated and full, with lasting depth, ripe tannins, and a velveteen texture. Notes of mocha, black plum, and Mediterranean herbs come together seamlessly.

• James Suckling: This has gorgeous aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, peppercorns, cloves, mocha, hazelnuts and dried herbs. Polished and creamy, with a medium to full body and firm, velvety tannins. Long, supple and elegant. Delicious already, but better from 2024.

Producer Information

Brancaia is a Tuscan estate known for its wines both from the Chianti Classico zone and from the Maremma region on the Tuscan coast. It was founded in 1981 and has since become a critically acclaimed producer, known for the high quality of its wines as well as its distinctive modern labels. Three vineyards make up the Brancaia estate: two in Chianti Classico planted mostly to Sangiovese, and one in Maremma (at Grosseto) planted mostly to Bordeaux varieties (with around a quarter planted to Sangiovese). Together, these total around 80 hectares (200 acres). There are two wineries (in Chianti and Maremma), both built over three storeys to allow for gravity-fed processes. Individual varieties and vineyard parcels are vinified separately, and fermentation is carried out in temperature-controlled cone-shaped steel tanks with gentle punchdowns. All of the wines are aged in French oak barrels and casks for 12 to 20 months, and are then blended and bottled. Brancaia’s flagship wine is Il Blu, an IGT Toscana wine made from vineyards in the heart of Chianti Classico. The wine is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, and is aged for 20 months in French barriques before bottling. The top wine from the Maremma vineyard is the Ilatraia, also IGT Toscana but made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The 2012 vintage was included in the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines in 2015 a feat achieved three times since 2005. The lineup also includes four other red wines: a Chianti Classico Riserva, a Chianti Classico, N2 or Numero 2 (a Maremma Cabernet Sauvignon) and Tre, a Sangiovese-dominant blend with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot sourced from all Brancaia’s vineyards. There is also a merlot-based ros called “Ros”; Il Bianco, a white blend of Sauvignon Blanc with Gewrtztraminer, Semillon and Viognier; and Stella, a sparkling (spumante) Chardonnay. The estate was initially established by Swiss couple Bruno and Brigitte Widmer who bought the decaying Brancaia property in Castellina in Chianti (and its four hectares/10 acres of vines) in 1981. Viticulture and winemaking soon follows with the help of the Mazzei family (of Castello di Fonterutoli fame), and in 1986 Brancaia comes out on top of a blind Chianti Classico tasting hosted by Swiss wine magazine Vinum. The iconic estate label design was introduced in 1988 and in 1989 the Widmers added to their holdings by acquiring a 53 hectare (130 acre) site in Radda, a town 15km (nine miles) east of Castellina. In 1994, the winery gains a coveted Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) rating from the Gambero Rosso gourmet guide. In 1998 the Widmers acquire the coastal Maremma estate and begin planting vines on the 82 hectare (200 acre) property. TRE and Ilatraia are launched in 2000 and 2002, respectively. By 2019 the three vineyards and wineries are all officially Organically certified.