Climate
The winter began with a mild climate, characterized by
higher-than-average temperatures and abundant rainfall
that allowed the accumulation of excellent water reserves in the
soil. The spring, and in particular the month of March,
which was generally dry, allowed for optimal soil
working and favored early budding of about 10
days compared to the historical average. The drop in temperatures
recorded at the beginning of April caused a reduction in production from a
quantitative point of view without compromising in any
way the future quality of the grapes. Flowering occurred
late, during the last days of June, coinciding with
warm and sunny days. The summer, dry and with temperatures
which were generally above average, favored the complete and
balanced ripening of the grapes, thanks also to a careful
management of the soil capable of maintaining the important
water reserves accumulated at the end of winter. The harvest of
Sangiovese for Vigneto Santa Pia took place on September 24th.
Vinification
Upon arrival at the cellar, the grapes were destemmed and softly pressed. The resulting must was transferred to
stainless steel tanks where the alcoholic fermentation took place at a
controlled temperature of 26 - 28 °C in order to
preserve the typical aromas of Sangiovese. Maceration continued for a few days after
the alcoholic fermentation, and was managed with delicate mechanical interventions, aimed at
extracting the sweeter tannins.
At the end of the malolactic fermentation, the wine was transferred to 500-liter tonneaux for maturation in
wood, which lasted approximately 12 months. Vigneto Santa Pia then rested at least a year in the bottle before being released onto the
market.
Historical Data
La Braccesca extends over 508 hectares where once stood the ancient farm of the Bracci counts, from which the name of the
estate and its coat of arms derive: an arm covered in armor holding a sword. The total surface area of ??the vineyards is
340 hectares divided into two parts: the first, of 366 hectares of which 237 are planted with vines, is located on the border between the
municipality of Montepulciano and that of Cortona. The other plot, 142 hectares of which 103 are vineyards, extends up to
Montepulciano between three of the most renowned sub-areas for the production of great red wines: Cervognano, Santa Pia and
Gracciano. Santa Pia comes from the 15-hectare vineyard located in the homonymous locality on the cliffs below
Montepulciano. The particular soil, rich in skeleton, sandy loam, supports the desire to create
an elegant but at the same time classic expression of Sangiovese, capable of transmitting the great
recognizability of the historic production area. The first vintage of Santa Pia produced was 2001.
Tasting Notes
Vigneto Santa Pia 2021 has an intense ruby ??red color. On the nose, the intense notes of fresh red fruit,
such as strawberry and cherry, alternate with pleasant hints of blood orange combined with sweet sensations of vanilla and
fresh and spicy aromas of spices. On the palate, the enveloping entry stretches out into an intense sip, characterized by
intense and refined tannins supported by excellent freshness, to conclude with a long, persistent and
savoury finish, characterized in the aftertaste by pleasant notes of blood orange, raspberry and vanilla.