2017 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 750 ml

The 2017 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a seductively perfumed, terrifically rich expression of Sangiovese crafted by the world-famous Antinori clan: the gold-standard family name in Tuscany.

Behind this bottle looms the legendary Italian heritage that has produced some of history’s most iconic Super Tuscans: Tignanello, Solaia, Guado al Tasso. The same incredible pedigree, terroir, and talent that defines those coveted $150+ bottles is poured into this fantastic interpretation of Montepulciano’s sandy clay soils—for just $22 per bottle today.

There’s almost no better way to make every dollar count on a wine purchase than to grab a bargain-priced bottle from a world-class estate. The 2017 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a textbook example of that category that also happens to boast a litany of critical praise.

With 92 points, James Suckling hailed it as “full-bodied with lovely, fine and chewy tannins and a delicious finish,” while Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate declared it “a classic rendition from a warm vintage.”

This is one of those special deals we spend all year hoping to find. With a few cases already stored away in our cellars, we’ll be celebrating this allocation well into 2022.

Those who either don’t have the patience to cellar or the funds to invest in top Brunello di Montalcino should make this Tuscan stunner their next buy. With its firm tannins, it has the structure and forest-floor complexity that we love in Brunello. The nose is beautifully nuanced with classic Sangiovese notes of fresh earth, wildflowers, red cherry, and sweet tobacco. The sun-kissed ripeness of La Braccessca’s rolling hills, plus a dollop of Merlot and two years of aging, have yielded a wine that will be velvet-soft and pliant if you pull the cork next week.

It’s a bottling that bears the indelible influence of Antinori oenologist Renzo Cotarella—the 100-point mastermind behind top-rated Tignanellos and Solaias, and “one of Italy’s most celebrated winemakers,” according to Vinous.

You can trace this 2017’s freshness back to Cotarella’s current preference for picking earlier, versus the late harvests of the early 2000s. He keeps fermentations shorter and uses a higher percentage of American oak to make the Sangiovese immensely inviting and open-knit.

The Antinori family’s history in the region dates back to the 1300s, but they acquired the La Braccesca property in the 1990s. Formerly owned by the Count of Bracci, the wine label bears his coat of arms: a fist gripping a raised sword. Two main blocks of land—one sitting on the dividing line between Montelpuciano and Cortona townships, the other covering the three famous Montelpuciano sub-zones of Santia Pia, Gracciano, and Cervognano—hold some of the region’s best vineyards.

Thanks to cooling winds and well-draining soils, the vines shrug off the Tuscan heat, making for dense and juicy Sangiovese that drinks beautifully out of the gate. For just $22 today, it’s an inside look at how one of Italy’s most famous houses works its magic.