La Braccesca By Antinori Rosso di Montepulciano "Sabazio" DOC

Sabazio represents Antinori's calibrated approach to Montepulciano's DOC tier—a deliberate step below the Vino Nobile DOCG designation, yet sourced from the same clay-limestone hillsides southeast of Siena. The estate's vineyards sit at 250–350 meters elevation, where diurnal temperature swings sharpen acidity in the Sangiovese grape (locally called Prugnolo Gentile).

The wine undergoes fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel, followed by 12 months in neutral French oak—a regime that softens tannin without imposing vanilla or new-wood character. This restraint allows the wine's mineral spine and red-fruit definition to remain legible. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel, further integrating the acid profile.

What distinguishes Sabazio is its refusal of extraction: no extended maceration, no new oak aggression. Instead, it reads as a transparent snapshot of Montepulciano's terroir—clay-driven earthiness anchoring cherry and dried herb aromatics. The 2019 and 2020 vintages drink immediately, though the wine's natural acidity suggests 4–6 years of graceful evolution in bottle.