As a Swiss winemaker in Italy, Barbara Widmer needed to prove her work was worthy of praise. Her parents, Brigitte and Bruno, had purchased Brancaia as part of their wine import in Switzerland, and Barbara had initially studied architecture. But when she took a break from those studies and spent a couple of months at the wine estate, she was captivated by Tuscany, by wine and winemaking. Her studies changed to enology and she has led the team of Brancaia to amazing successes. Organic grape-growing and vineyard greening, spontaneous fermentations in the winery, and uncompromising attention to quality have been Brancaia’s watchwords. The wines are stunning examples of the beautiful terroirs of Chianti Classico and Maremma.