2023 Casa Brancaia Chianti Classico
The Widmers, who purchased the estate with a vision for consistency and excellence, oversee every detail with care. Production remains intentionally small, ensuring that each bottle receives meticulous attention from vineyard to cellar. Even at this accessible price point, the wine is sealed under a DIAM cork, which is a rare choice that reflects Brancaia’s commitment to preserving freshness and avoiding cork variability. Every element, from the rootstock and vine clone to the cork, is chosen to maintain the integrity and consistency that the family values across all their estates.
The story behind the wine is equally compelling. The Widmers’ daughter has stepped into the winemaking role, one of the few female winemakers in Tuscany, carrying forward a family legacy with skill and insight.
The 2023 vintage in Tuscany was marked by a warm spring and a dry summer, tempered by timely rainfall that preserved freshness and vigor in the vines. This produced grapes with excellent phenolic ripeness while maintaining vibrant acidity—perfect for wines that combine structure with elegance. In Brancaia’s Chianti Classico, this balance translates to bright red fruit, subtle spice, and refined tannins, all lifted by a freshness that makes the wine irresistibly food-friendly. The wine is a pure representation of 100% Sangiovese, with no oak in the aging process. This is my favorite kind of Chianti; All Sangiovese, pure, and unadulterated.
92 Points, James Suckling
Aromas of cherries, dried herbs, strawberry bush, wet stones and subtle spices with some dusty mineral notes. Silky and textured on the medium-bodied palate, it’s deliciously fruity and smooth, with a lingering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.