2019 Brancaia Toscana Ilatraia

2019 Brancaia Toscana Ilatraia

2019 Brancaia Toscana Ilatraia The Brancaia 2019 Ilatraia aged in French barrique for 18 months, half of which is new oak. This is a generous and deeply layered expression with dark fruit, baker’s chocolate and elegant spice. I tasted this wine next to the 2018 vintage, which clearly showed more balance given that extra year of aging. Based on that observation, I suggest an extended drinking window for this wine. The 2019 shows lots of primary fruit brightness and concentration. 95pts Parker’s WA

This has aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, black olives, cedar, dark chocolate, praline, salted almonds and spearmint. Some gun metal and graphite, too. Creamy and caressing, with velvety tannins and a full body. Delicious salted-chocolate notes. So much power and concentration, yet it remains elegant. Long. Drink from 2023. 97pts Suckling

I urge you to get this wine. Pop the cork, give a breathe and you will be blown away. Brancaia makes big; rich, opulent and cashmere smoot big red of the highest order. Brancaia was started by a swiss couple Brigitte and Bruno Widmer in 1981. They started in the Chianti Classico zone in one of the best areas Radda. Their wines immediately began winning awards and they have developed a reputation throughout the world as making some of Tuscany’s finest red wine. In 1998 they expanded into the coastal part of Tuscany, the Maremma, home to the great Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia. Todays wine comes from these great vineyards, the superb 2019 Brancaia Ilatraia that caresses the palate with velvety tannins, a wine of great power and concentration matched with elegance. Brancaia’s wines are made by top Tuscan consulting enologist Carlo Ferrini to supervise production in both the vineyards and the winery. Ferrini consults for a number of Tuscan greats including Casanova di Neri, Sapaio, Sette Ponti, Petrolo, Fonterutoli, and Orma. If you love big reds, Napa Cabs or left bank Bordeaux, especially Pauillac, this wine will blow you away. It can be had for a fraction of the price for similar quality from Napa or Bordeaux. I strongly recommend. I put a case in the cellar.