La Brancaia
Brancaia's Riserva blends 80% Sangiovese with 20% Merlot from Castellina and Radda in Chianti, aged 16 months in tonneaux and barriques. Cherry, leather and tar sit over sweet, ripe tannins: a structured Chianti Classico DOCG built to age.
Built from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot aged 16 months in tonneaux and barriques, with Brancaia's own notes and Vivino drinkers converging on cherry, leather, tar and spice.
Cherry and black fruit lead, exactly as Brancaia describes, over a savoury continuum of leather, tar and tilled earth. Vivino drinkers most often log oak, vanilla and tobacco from the 16 months in tonneaux and barriques, with a lift of spice.
Blackberry
Cherry
Plum
Tobacco
Tar
Leather
Vanilla
ChocolateMedium to full-bodied and structured, with the bright acidity Sangiovese keeps on these Castellina and Radda hillsides. Tannins are sweet and ripe rather than austere, carrying plum and blackberry, and the 20% Merlot rounds the mid-palate.
Long and savoury, closing on tobacco, espresso and a balsamic, earthy edge that the oak ageing frames without dominating.
A consistently high-scoring Riserva, rated 92 to 94 by critics and 4.0 across more than 10,000 Vivino ratings. This is Brancaia's classic-tier Tuscan red, structured for a decade in the cellar yet already generous, and a benchmark for Chianti Classico Riserva drinkers.
Two Brancaia vintages are listed here: the 2022 in 75cl from around 35 pounds and the 2018 in magnum. Compare retailer prices and stock below.
A medium to full-bodied, high-acid Sangiovese blend that leans food-friendly and age-worthy, priced a step above entry-level Chianti Classico.
Medium to full body, high Sangiovese acidity and firm tannins make it a versatile match for grilled and braised red meat, tomato sauces and aged cheese.
DOCG Riserva ageing, 16 months in oak and firm Sangiovese tannins give up to 15 years of cellar potential, well above an entry Chianti.
A 92 to 94 point DOCG Riserva from a well-known Tuscan estate, priced for a dinner centrepiece or a gift.
A classic, well-made Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot softening the tannins; approachable for newcomers, though the Riserva structure rewards food.
Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our editorial methodology.
A compact view of what the Chianti Classico denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.
Compare tracked offers from verified retailers at a glance. Stock is shown only where the retailer exposes it. Logos, sale pricing, and the strongest offer are surfaced first.
Brancaia rates the Riserva for up to 15 years in bottle. The 2022 came from a hot, dry Chianti Classico season that still held finesse; the 2018 was a cooler, more classic year now ready to drink.
2022 was a hot, dry Chianti Classico season, among the driest on record, yet Brancaia held onto finesse and balance. The Riserva is structured and built for the cellar, with up to 15 years of ageing potential.
2018 was a cooler, more classic Tuscan vintage after the hot 2017, giving fresher and more aromatic Sangiovese. Now released in magnum, this Riserva is entering its drinking window.
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
Critics from Wine Advocate to James Suckling score recent vintages 92 to 94, reflecting old-estate Sangiovese from Castellina and Radda and a 16-month oak regime before release.
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Chianti Classico is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
Chianti Classico falls within Tuscany , covering Tuscany. The denomination is further divided into 11 sub-zones.
Brancaia draws the Riserva from its own Castellina and Radda vineyards at 230 to 400m, hand-picked in small quantities, which costs far more than bought-in fruit.
Roughly two years of barrel and bottle ageing before release ties up cash and cellar space, lifting the price over a young annata Chianti Classico.
Chianti Classico Riserva demands at least 24 months of ageing and lower yields than basic Chianti, both of which raise the cost per bottle.
Steady Wine Advocate, James Suckling and Vinous scores in the low-to-mid 90s give Brancaia pricing power that an unrated Riserva lacks.
The Merlot portion, matured apart in barriques, adds plushness but also a second vinification stream that adds to production cost.
UK excise duty of 2.67 pounds a bottle plus 20% VAT account for roughly 8.40 pounds of the 35 pound UK shelf price before any retailer margin.
Dishes that complement this wine
Firm Sangiovese tannins and bright acidity cut through grilled and braised meat. Brancaia points to risotto with fresh porcini; bistecca alla fiorentina is the Tuscan classic.
The protein and fat in a charred bistecca or a lamb ragu soften Sangiovese's firm tannins, while the wine's acidity keeps each bite fresh. This is the classic Chianti Classico table pairing.
Try with: Fiorentina steak · Agnello Ragu Lucano · Bollito dei Pastori · More pairings →
Sangiovese's bright acidity mirrors the tomato in a slow-cooked ragu and lifts rich braised dishes like ossobuco, stopping them from feeling heavy.
Try with: Lasagna · Agnello Ragu Lucano · Ossobuco alla Milanese · More pairings →
The wine's leather, tar and tilled-earth notes bridge to forest mushrooms and truffle. Brancaia names risotto with fresh porcini as its own favourite match.
Try with: Porcini mushroom risotto · Tagliatelle al tartufo di Acqualagna · More pairings →
Tannin and acidity scour the fat and salt of mature pecorino, resetting the palate where a softer red would turn flabby.
Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · More pairings →
A medium to full body matches the weight of roast or braised veal without overwhelming it, while sweet, ripe tannins echo the dish's slow-cooked richness.
Try with: Ossobuco alla Milanese · More pairings →
Firm tannins and 14% alcohol amplify chilli heat and bully delicate flavours. Skip fiery curries, sweet-sour sauces and plain white fish, which the wine's structure flattens.
Skip with: vindaloo · sweet-and-sour pork · plain steamed cod · Pairing guide →
With up to 15 years of ageing potential, the structured 2022 rewards five to ten years in the cellar, while the 2018 magnum is moving into its drinking window.
Peak around 2030. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
DOCG Riserva ageing, 16 months in oak and firm Sangiovese tannins give up to 15 years of cellar potential, well above an entry Chianti.
£34.61 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.
Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 7 Jun 2026, 15:42 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.
Confidence · HighDrawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · MediumFrom the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · HighOur reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · MediumStyle guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · MediumIt is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. The Sangiovese comes from Brancaia's Castellina and Poppi vineyards in the Chianti Classico zone, with Merlot adding roundness to the blend.
Cherry and black fruit lead, layered with leather, tar, spice and a vanilla note from oak ageing. The palate is medium to full-bodied and structured, with bright acidity and sweet, ripe tannins.
Brancaia gives the wine an ageing potential of up to 15 years. The structured 2022 will drink well from release into the mid-2030s, while the 2018 in magnum is already entering its window.
Its Sangiovese acidity and firm tannins suit grilled and braised red meat such as bistecca alla fiorentina, lamb ragu and ossobuco. Brancaia's own favourite match is risotto with fresh porcini.
The Sangiovese ages 16 months in tonneaux and the Merlot in barriques, then at least eight months in bottle before release. Grapes are hand-harvested from vineyards at 230 to 400 metres.
It is a consistently high-scoring Riserva, with critics rating recent vintages 92 to 94 points and Vivino drinkers averaging 4.0 across more than 10,000 ratings. UK prices start around 35 pounds for the 2022.
5 retailers
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£35.91
£42.79
Marchese Antinori
3 retailers
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£46.96
Antinori
2 retailers
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£48.90
Casa Brancaia
2 retailers
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£67.24
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