Brancaia got my attention this winter: they popped Top 10 in Wine Spectator with their 93 point rated Toscana Tre. Low and behold, our distributer walked in about 3 weeks later with a couple of Brancaia's wines including the yellow label(93 pts, WS, $16) and their wine called Il Blu(95 pts, WS $67). I think Wine Spectator implemented a very savvy plan for their top rated wines this year: they included more wines in the below 40 price point, reflecting our more economically minded consumer. That said, with prodigious buyers in mind, Brancaia's Il Blu commands a higher price and the palate proves it's worth it.
Today, I'm going to experiment with the Court of Masters tasting method in order to really investigate the wine. Brancaia blend is ~80% Sangiovese, ~10% Merlot, ~10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
VISUAL INSPECTION:
Clarity: slight haze
Brightness: Day Bright
Intensity of Color: Medium
Color: Garnet
Rim Variation: Yes, light pinkish to Ruby-Garnet hues
Viscosity: Medium
NOSE/AROMA:
Condition: sound/clean
Intensity: Medium-Low
Fruit Aromas: Dark Sweet Cherry, Cooked Raspberry, Dried Strawberry. Predominant red fruit aromas.
Other Aromas: Chalkboard, white pepper, anise & oregano
Presence of wood: yes in the form of a slight vanilla smell
PALATE:
Sweetness level: Dry
Body: Medium-Plus
Fruit on Palate: taste matches nose with cherries & raspberries
Earthiness: Chalkiness + Green rhubarb, oregano on mid-finish
Wood: I would say yes, very slight, perhaps large barrels or less new barrels
Alcohol: Medium
Tannins: Medium - Plus to High, very structured fruit tannins, perhaps from whole bunches
Acid: Medium Plus
Complexity: Medium Plus complexity, based on big fruit with strong tannin structure
Finish: Medium-Plus, Acid clears palate relatively quickly
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