Querciabella, Greve in Chianti

Agricola Querciabella was established at Greve in Chianti in 1974 by Giuseppe Castiglioni, a profound connoisseur of wines. Today, the estate is managed by his son Sabastiano and recently converted to biodynamic status: a thoughtful commitment to viticulture in harmony with nature. Agricola Querciabella has a stock of French barriques that is unmatched in the world for the sophistication of the options available. Meticulous cultivation and selection of the fruit, and up-to-the-minute winemaking technology show that the quest for quality is the estate's prime focus. Agricola Querciabella produces four wines in Chianti: BATAR, a blend of Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay; CAMARTINA, a SuperTuscan that brings together Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon; QUERCIABELLA, an utterly distinctive Chianti Classico; and PALAFRENO, conceived as a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese but from the 2004 vintage on, a monovarietal Merlot. Querciabella in Maremma was established in 1997, at Albarese in the province of Grossetto, near the Uccellina Regional park: 85 acres of specialized vineyards, managed biodynamically. In 2005, these vineyards yielded MONGRANA, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. "Querciabella's wines carry an increasingly deep, fascinating territorial stamp." Gambero Rosso 2010 "The 2006 Camartina from Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese is the usual Three Glass masterpiece" Gambero Rosso 2010

Batar IGT 2009 A 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, Batar is arguably Toscana's greatest white wine. Made to rival the great white Burgundies of Batard-Montrachet, the grapes are farmed bio-dynamically and fermented in separate lots in 50% new French and 50% one year old French barriques before blending, which is done in stainless steel. The finished wine is then bottle aged for six months before release. "The 2009 Batar shows good up-front fleshiness in its juicy apricots, peaches and light floral honey although some of the initial depth in the wine tapers off on the finish. Batar has a track record of developing beautifully in bottle. It will be interesting to see the direction the 2009 takes. Today, it appears a measure of minerality is lacking in comparison to the finest vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014." 89 points, Wine Advocate, Aug 2011

Querciabella Mongrana 2009 IGT Mongrana is the quintessential expression of the colours, sights and sounds of the Maremma region: fruity and intense, fresh and embracing, the wine takes its name - and its character - from that of the noble family of knights depicted by the Italian Renaissance poet Ludovico Ariosto in his epic masterpiece Orlando Furioso ("Mad Orlando"). Hand harvested, biodynamically farmed Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are fermented in stainless steel and élevage takes place in cement vats. A small portion is aged in oak barriques and is blended before bottling.

Querciabella Chianti Classico DOCG 2009 The Querciabella Chianti Classico is 90% Sangiovese, with the remainder a blend of Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon and was the first wine introduced by Giuseppe in 1974, before they diversified into the IGTs. The vinification is similar, matured entirely in French oak barriques (Allier, Châtillon, Nevers and Troncais) but uses less new oak for fear of over-whelming the Sangiovese: 30% new, the remainder one-year old, although 80% is still used for the other grapes varieties. After maturing 14 months, the best barrels are selected to be labelled under the Querciabella name and released 18 months after the harvest (approximately 9,000 cases per year.) A Riserva was discontinued from the 1999 vintage. The 2009 is not yet reviewed, but the 2008 received the following: "Sweet berry and raspberry aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Harmonious, with pretty fruit. Drink now." 90 points, Wine Spectator, Oct 2009 "Deep red-ruby. Balsamic black plum, sweet milk chocolate and coffee liqueur aromas on the captivating, mineral-accented nose. Then fleshy and ripe in the mouth, with more spicy black plum, herb and coffee flavours. Finishes soft and smooth, with a trace of finishing heat. Well done, if on the ripe side. " 90 points, Int'l Wine Cellar, July/Aug 2010

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All wines are available by the unmixed case to Licensees and Private Consumers, subject to availability.

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