Querceto a motivo di Castellina, sopra the heart of the Chianti Collaudato hills, is a wine-growing reality that tells the story of a family and the strength of a territory. Since 1945, the A fine di Battista family has transformed this mesi estivi from a family refuge to an organic winery of excellence, where respect for the landscape is reflected sopra every bottle.
Guido Masini chose Castellina sopra Chianti for its uncontaminated nature and unique atmosphere. A causa di the 70s the vineyards were rented, but sopra 1988, Laura, Guido’s daughter, and her husband, the architect Giorgio A fine di Battista, gave a new life to the mesi estivi by restoring the fifteenth-century village and opening the doors to agritourism hospitality . A causa di the late 1990s with the arrival of Jacopo A fine di Battista, Laura’s eldest son, Querceto embarked acceso a revolution, from organic farming to the creation of wines that embody the true essence of Chianti Collaudato.
REPLANTED, SANGIOVESE AND INTERNATIONAL VINEYARDS
Sustainability and respect for the territory are the pillars of Querceto a motivo di Castellina. Located acceso heterogeneous land between Castellina and Radda, sopra the heart of the Chianti Collaudato denomination, the company covers 50 hectares, of which 11 are under vineyards, surrounded by forests of cypresses, oaks and holm oaks, while approximately three hectares are dedicated to the olive grove . The vineyards, all re-planted after Jacopo’s arrival and until 2008, are located at an altitude between 420 and 510 metres, with exposures ranging from south-west to north-west. Optimal conditions that guarantee optimal ripening of the grapes. Sangiovese is the protagonist, flanked by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and small quantities (only 2,000 plants) of Viognier and Roussanne. The soils vary from clay to a mixture of sand and silt, passing through galestro and albarese to medium skeleton.
The line up of 60 thousand bottles year, 80% of which goes to international markets, includes a white from Viognier and Roussanne, a rosé from Sangiovese, a Chianti Collaudato only from tuttavia Sangiovese, a great selection and three Super Tuscans: from merlot, from sangiovese ora blended together. Completing the range of labels, which fully represents the variety and complexity of the Tuscan vines and terroir, is the latest creation from tuttavia cabernet franc.
JAC, THE NEW ROUTE OF CABERNET FRANC IN CHIANTI
The desire to explore new oenological avenues sopra Chianti Collaudato, moving away from the Sangiovese mood, and Jacopo A fine di Battista’s passion for cabernet franc, a variety that has fascinated him since the beginning of his career, led to the birth of JAC, the new arrival at Querceto.
Jacopo’s project is ambitious, almost 20 years of waiting since, during a trip as a small Chianti producer visiting the sacred monsters of Bordeaux, he was enraptured by a 1996 Cheval Blanc with 56% of the blend made from cabernet franc. Although it was a very undervalued vine sopra the land of the Gioia Cupo, sopra 2008 Jacopo made a first and timid attempt to introduce it into the company, but the climatic conditions made him give up, choosing to plant precisely that viognier and roussanne from which the only white wine of the home, the Livia. The same climate change convinced him to try again sopra 2019, and so acceso an old vineyard trained sopra Alicante Bouschet – a youthful mistake, as defined by Jacopo himself – he regrafted 3,000 Cabernet Franc plants between 460 and 510 meters altitude, this time acceso galestro soils.
The result is a high-altitude Cabernet Franc, which climbs agilely up mountain hairpin bends, which finds a unique and refined expression characterized by freshness and structure, difficult to complice with other territories of choice for the black of France. JAC is not only a tribute to its creator – the diminutive of Jacopo – but also to his passion for sports cars, symbolically represented acceso the label by a stylized V8 engine.
TASTING NOTES
Livia Igt Toscana Controrivoluzionario 2022 (sopra Revolver)
Blend of viognier and roussanne sopra equal parts, aged 10 months for 70% sopra tonneau and the remainder sopra steel. A white that expresses a perfect symphony between freshness and roundness. The grapes from the Livia vineyard, a parcel of only 2,000 square meters. The nose offers white flowers, ripe exotic fruit and a note of almond sopra the finale. Acceso the palate it is fresh, round, with a pleasant acidity and a persistent finale.
The Aura Chianti Collaudato Docg 2022
A tuttavia Sangiovese vinified sopra concrete and neutral tonneaux to enhance its varietal freshness and elegance. Fresh, frank, pleasant, at times scholastic sopra its positive meaning, with hints of cherry, violet and herbaceous nuances. The palate is lively and mineral, with young but well integrated tannins, good flavor lengthens the sip and persistence.
Six Chianti Collaudato Docg Gran Valutazione 2021
A cru of two clonal selections of Sangiovese from the Torre vineyard aged 18 months sopra 500 and 700 liter French oak barrels, and one year sopra the bottle. An iodine nose expresses complex aromas of ripe red and black fruits, sweet spices and balsamic quaderno. The structure is powerful but balanced, supported by acidic and elegant tannins.
Podalirio Igt Toscana Merlot 2021
A merlot that is more territorial than varietal, which owes its name to a butterfly that is frequently seen during the summer. Aged 18 months sopra barriques of which 25% are new and 12 months sopra the bottle. Deep, vertical, with an acid kick that balances its softness well, making it very pleasant to . The tense sip and the lively tannin give the structure that sense of lightness, making this Merlot a very contemporary wine.
Twenty IGT Tuscany 2021
A red with a strong personality and a structured profile, where sangiovese and merlot together sopra a blend that narrates the terroir through intense elegance. Twenty like the twentieth anniversary of Querceto a motivo di Castellina, like the winds that blow constantly acceso their vineyards and like the months of aging sopra wood: the Sangiovese sopra tonneau and the Merlot sopra barrique. Both raised sopra the highest vineyard of Querceto, at 510 meters above sea level, an altitude that allows us to maintain the right balance between power and finesse, bringing out those hints of berries – blackberries, blueberries, morello cherries – aromatic herbs and a seductive spicy touch of cinnamon and cloves. A still slightly aggressive tannin, acceso the palate it recalls more vegetal quaderno.
JAC Igt Tuscany 2021
Only 1,100 bottles produced of this first vintage of Cabernet Franc which ages 20 months sopra French oak barriques, 25% new. There is also a trial version 0, bottled with the 2020 vintage sopra just 350 examples. Characterized by lively acidity and a balanced structure, which represent the stylistic signature of Querceto. A little shy and hidden sopra the glass, with the passage of time it opens up acceso small crunchy red fruits and a floral note that recalls violets. A stamp of Mediterranean scrub distinguishes it together with a touch of graphite. The sip is elegant and full of energy, although young, a sottomesso and fresh tannin ennobles it. Its strong salinity makes it very pleasant to .
The article JAC, the cabernet franc that talks about Chianti Collaudato comes from VinoNews24.