Querciabella

In the 16th century, Ludovico Ariosto had the knights of the House of Mongrana ride through fantastical landscapes in Orlando Furioso – adventurous, freedom-loving, always ready to set off. The hippogriff, the winged hybrid creature that carries its riders beyond all boundaries, is the symbol of this epic. Querciabella has featured both on the label of its Maremma project: the name, the creature, and the ethos. Since 1997, Querciabella has been cultivating vines in Banditella near Alberese – right on the Tuscan coast, where sea breezes, salty air and sandy soils shape the Mediterranean character of the wine. 100% Vermentino, 20,000 bottles, organically farmed. Fermentation takes place in small concrete and steel tanks, gently and precisely. The year 2025 brought a balanced spring and cool nights, which slowed ripening, preserved acidity and concentrated the aromas.

Mongrana is a name taken from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, the 16th-century chivalric epic, and at Querciabella it is associated with the coast. Near Alberese in the Maremma, close to the sea and the hills of the Uccellina Nature Reserve, the vines were planted in 2000, facing north-south, at an altitude of 20 to 50 metres. The soil is acidic and rich in iron, with fine-grained sediments intermingled with alluvial sand. For this wine, Merlot and Sangiovese from certified organic cultivation are placed in stainless steel tanks; after just 48 hours on the skins, the must is racked off. The short maceration period is intentional; it preserves what matters most here.

Seven grape varieties in a single wine – it sounds like a jumble, yet there is a method to it: Merlot and Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Petit Verdot. Every year, Querciabella blends the Mongrana anew, depending on what the coast has to offer. In 1997, the estate established itself in Banditella near Alberese, a stone's throw from the sea, where sunshine, salty air and sandy soils lend the vines a Mediterranean character and the wind hardly ever stops. Fermentation takes place in small cement and stainless steel tanks, managed gently and with precision. The wine takes its name from a line of knights in Ariosto's great epic; its heraldic animal on the label is the hippogriff.

Curtain up for Ardalico: Named after a character from the epic novel Orlando Furioso, the new entry-level Chianti Classico from one of the most important wineries in the appellation impresses with an invigorating balance of fresh sour cherry and cherry flavours, ripe red berry fruit with fig notes, delicate smokiness, harmonious herbal and floral accents and a beautiful tannin core.

This Chianti Classico has been produced since 1974. Back then, Giuseppe Castiglioni – whom everyone called pep– had purchased a small estate high above Greve. Today, his daughter Mita runs the estate, and that single slope has given rise to three distinct terroirs: Ruffoli, with sandstone formed from weathered galestro; Radda, with even more slate; and Lamole, with sandy soil and clay. Each plot is fermented separately; only afterwards is the wine blended, made entirely from Sangiovese, although the appellation is content with just 80 per cent. The vineyard is certified organic and has been cultivated without any animal products since 2010. The wine is aged in barriques, tonneaux and, in some cases, larger casks; it takes a total of 24 months before the Annata leaves the estate.

A hippogriff – the winged mount from Ariosto's *Orlando Furioso* – soars across the label, and the name "Turpino" is also borrowed from this same chivalric epic. A first wine of this name was produced as early as 2007, but it never went on sale; it was not until the 2010 vintage that it was released. Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot come together here, a trio that thrives particularly well on the Maremma coast. The vines have been planted near Alberese since 2000, at an altitude of barely 20 to 50 metres above sea level, with the rows running north to south, on acidic, iron-rich alluvial soils containing some gravel. Fermentation takes place in wooden vats, and the wine is matured in French barriques, produced in accordance with certified organic standards.

After 1999, the word "Riserva" disappeared from the estate's labels; it did not return until the 2011 vintage. Since then, Querciabella has regarded this wine as a showcase for its site-selection approach: pure Sangiovese from three different origins, fermented and matured separately, plot by plot. In Ruffoli, above Greve, the vineyards start at 350 to 400 metres and rise to 550 metres; the lower areas have more clay, whilst the upper ones are looser and more well-drained. Radda, situated at an altitude of 450 metres, contributes more galestro, whilst Lamole offers sandy soils with slate. The year 2022 placed great demands on the vines; extreme heat and drought were only followed in August by rain, which brought the grapes to ripeness. The average yield is 30 hectolitres per hectare. In the cellar, the wine is aged in barriques and tonneaux; only a small proportion of the oak is new, and it remains on the estate for a total of 36 months – one year longer than required by the appellation's regulations.

Querciabella's Riserva, with an annual production of 10,000 bottles, is a selection of the best lots. It blends fruit from Greve, where the vineyards lie between 350 and 550 metres above sea level, with grapes from the stony high altitudes of Radda and the chalky soils of Gaiole. Tantalising aromas of spring flowers, cranberries and potting soil are accompanied by vanilla and smoke. On the palate, it is polished and pure, with a delicious, tangy acidity and sinewy tannins. As every year, one of the most refined wines of the appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Some wines embody the history of an entire movement. Camartina is one of that handful of Tuscan icons that changed everything in the early 1980s – those rebellious Super Tuscans that paid no heed to the strict rules of Chianti Classico and instead pursued their own vision of greatness. 1981 saw the birth of Camartina, and with this wine, Querciabella not only laid the foundations for its own success but also made Italian wine history. The name itself says it all: a fusion of "Casaocci" – the first office on the first hectare of vineyard – and "Martina", the younger daughter of Giuseppe Castiglioni, the visionary founder. What began as a Sangiovese-dominated blend has undergone a fascinating evolution over the decades. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is the clear protagonist, accounting for seventy per cent, whilst Sangiovese, at thirty per cent, contributes that elegant Tuscan linearity which sets Camartina apart from other Super Tuscans. The reason lies in the vineyards of Ruffoli near Greve in Chianti, where Cabernet has found a home on the arid sandstone soils that lend it an unusual finesse – lighter, more refined and sophisticated than elsewhere.

The name is a tribute – a deliberate homage to Bâtard-Montrachet, the legendary white wine Grand Cru of the Côte de Beaune. Querciabella did not choose it out of arrogance, but out of conviction: because the steep Galestro slopes of Ruffoli, 350 to 600 metres above Greve in Chianti, possess the terroir to produce white wines with Burgundian depth and longevity.

Palafreno 2019 is wonderfully polished and lively. Firm but well-integrated tannins form the backbone for a Merlot that is endowed with considerable energy. Spicy herbs, tobacco and wild flowers add complexity. Very nuanced on the palate, opulent to expressive, then at second glance supple, downright elegant. Almost unbeatable in complexity, depth and richness of finesse, it will reveal more and more of its first-class repertoire in the coming years. SUPERIORE.DE

The Palafreno was not a warhorse. In the parades and processions of the Middle Ages, it carried the knight before the public – nobly and with dignity. Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni chose this name for his Merlot because it perfectly describes what he hoped to achieve with this grape variety: not power for power's sake, but character with poise. Querciabella was founded in 1974 by Sebastiano's father, Giuseppe, in Greve in Chianti. Organically farmed and vegan-produced since 1988 – the estate articulated its commitment to integrity earlier than most others. The Palafreno is Sebastiano's personal project: pure Merlot, from the finest vines in Ruffoli, the Cipresso and Marrone plots, on galestro-rich soil amidst olive groves and oak forests. Produced not to cater to the market, but to demonstrate what Merlot is capable of in the heart of Chianti Classico when taken seriously.

After much anticipation, today we present the second vintage of an exceptional Sangiovese from Querciabella's single vineyard Ruffoli.

Back in 2007, the winery embarked on the cru project with the aim of emphasising the natural elegance and vitality of Sangiovese and the essential value of what the Latins call the "genius loci". What began as an experiment and a challenge evolved into years of constant but calculated work to identify the best vineyards in Chianti Classico. The best winemaking and ageing methods were then applied to enhance the particular influence of the origin on the texture, flavour and character of the wine.

Some wines embody the history of an entire movement. Camartina is one of that handful of Tuscan icons that changed everything in the early 1980s – those rebellious Super Tuscans that paid no heed to the strict rules of Chianti Classico and instead pursued their own vision of greatness. 1981 saw the birth of Camartina, and with this wine, Querciabella not only laid the foundations for its own success but also made Italian wine history. The name itself says it all: a fusion of "Casaocci" – the first office on the first hectare of vineyard – and "Martina", the younger daughter of Giuseppe Castiglioni, the visionary founder. What began as a Sangiovese-dominated blend has undergone a fascinating evolution over the decades. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is the clear protagonist, accounting for seventy per cent, whilst Sangiovese, at thirty per cent, contributes that elegant Tuscan linearity which sets Camartina apart from other Super Tuscans. The reason lies in the vineyards of Ruffoli near Greve in Chianti, where Cabernet has found a home on the arid sandstone soils that lend it an unusual finesse – lighter, more refined and sophisticated than elsewhere.

Rialdoli, Bagnaccio, Oasi: three plots on the western edge of Radda, on the right bank of the Pesa, part of Querciabella since 2007. Together they cover 14.5 hectares at altitudes of between 400 and 450 metres, predominantly on galestro soil, yet no two are alike. Rialdoli is exposed to the wind, rocky and well-drained. Bagnaccio is cooler and more humid, with more clay in the soil. Oasi combines the best of both in a sheltered location, surrounded by woodland. Radda's climate brings significant daily temperature variations during the ripening period; coupled with a constant breeze, the Sangiovese ripens slowly, evenly and over a long period. It was here, in 2007, that the estate made its first attempt to produce a wine from a single vineyard – one that was never intended for sale. Fourteen years later, that experiment has become a Gran Selezione. Maceration can last up to 30 days, with selected batches undergoing submerged cap maceration; the wine is then aged in large oak casks for 16 or even 18 months, depending on the plot, and continues to mature in the bottle: The appellation stipulates 30 months; the estate allows 48 months, including bottle ageing, before the wine is released for sale.

SA stands for Sangiovese, LA for a place that the label is not yet permitted to name. Lamole, part of Greve, will not be officially recognised as a distinct appellation until 1 January 2027; until then, Querciabella makes do with its internal abbreviation. The location itself is less of a complication: in Casole, the estate cultivates 8.5 hectares on steep, historic terraces, at altitudes between 500 and just under 650 metres, in one of the highest areas of Chianti Classico. The soil is sandy, light and well-drained, derived from Macigno sandstone and interspersed with clay and slate. It is surrounded by chestnut woods, whose coolness, combined with the altitude, preserves freshness and aromatic clarity.

Ruffoli lies above the village of Greve, on the slopes of Monte San Michele. This is where Querciabella began, and today 15 hectares of Sangiovese are planted here in a mosaic of individual plots, rising to an altitude of 550 metres, predominantly facing south and south-west. Higher up, the soils are loose and stony, with plenty of sandstone; further down, they are deeper, characterised by galestro and richer in clay. The climate is dry, with a constant breeze tempering the temperatures. As early as 2007, Sebastiano Castiglioni was convinced that every area of Chianti Classico expresses its own unique character through this grape variety, just as Pinot Noir does in the vineyards of Burgundy. Since 2010, therefore, each plot has been fermented separately. 2021 began with a mild winter and early budbreak; frost arrived in early April, and the summer remained warm and dry until rainfall in late August and mid-September accompanied the final ripening phase. The ageing process follows the principle of not masking anything: large casks ranging from 500 to 3,000 Liters, only lightly or moderately charred, hardly any of them new. Together with the time spent in the bottle, the ageing process takes 48 months.

Querciabella's Riserva, with an annual production of 10,000 bottles, is a selection of the best lots. It blends fruit from Greve, where the vineyards lie between 350 and 550 metres above sea level, with grapes from the stony high altitudes of Radda and the chalky soils of Gaiole. Tantalising aromas of spring flowers, cranberries and potting soil are accompanied by vanilla and smoke. On the palate, it is polished and pure, with a delicious, tangy acidity and sinewy tannins. As every year, one of the most refined wines of the appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

Palafreno 2019 is wonderfully polished and lively. Firm but well-integrated tannins form the backbone for a Merlot that is endowed with considerable energy. Spicy herbs, tobacco and wild flowers add complexity. Very nuanced on the palate, opulent to expressive, then at second glance supple, downright elegant. Almost unbeatable in complexity, depth and richness of finesse, it will reveal more and more of its first-class repertoire in the coming years. SUPERIORE.DE

Camartina 2016 has exceptional finesse and elegance. Distinguished, deep ruby red. Rich aromas of black and red berries such as black cherry and blueberry, joined by notes of ripe plum and tamarind. With further aeration then multi-layered notes of ivy, forest floor and freshly cut bark with hints of leather, sweet tobacco and liquorice. The full and silky body is framed by firm but well-integrated tannins supported by excellent acidity. Then, just before the long finish, ripe black fruits enriched by nutmeg and sweet spices. Great its Tuscan identity full of energy and liveliness. SUPERIORE.DE