Visiting Chianti Classico 
Part 3: Castello di Querceto   

Querceto are a long established producer in Greve in Chianti, and the property has been in the hands of the Francois family for 100 years. The current owner is Alessandro Francois (below), who we met up with – it was his grandfather who originally brought the property.

It’s an attractive, typically Tuscan estate. One distinctive feature here is the presence of white peacocks. We looked out over the vineyards with Alessandro, and then toured through the cellars, before tasting the wines. Winemaking here employs a mix of the traditional and modern. For example, the tanks are equipped with micro-oxygenation devices.

Querceto have 26 different vineyards, with 70 hectares in all, located in the Dudda Valley. From these they make five different single vineyard wines. The bottom of the valley is at 400 m, while the top is at 600 m.

Querceto Chianti Classico 2006
Dense and spicy with good tannic structure. Spicy and earthy with good acidity. Quite chewy and robust. Very savoury. 88/100

Querceto Chianti Classico Reserva 2004
Bright with good acidity and tarry, spicy, earthy dark fruits. Savoury with a minerally finish: dense with firm structure. 89/100

Il Pichio Chianti Classico Riserva 2004
A single-vineyard wine. Sweet, herby, spicy aromatic nose showing dark cherries with a hint of tar and herbiness. The palate is concentrated, warm and spicy with a slightly cedary edge. Distinctive sweet and sour character with a savoury, plummy finish. 90/100

La Corte 2004 IGT Colli Della Toscana Centrale
100% Sangiovese, so this could have been a Chianti Classico with the current rules. Sweet, aromatic nose with warm spiciness. Sweet red fruits and some herbiness, with some subtle medicinal notes. The palate is richly fruited with some tarry, spicy depth. Some oak evident: a rich, warm, spicy wine with a cedary finish. 89/100

Il Querciolaia 2003 IGT
A blend of two-thirds Cabernet and one-third Sangiovese. Savoury, spicy, slightly spicy meaty nose with some roasted notes. The palate is dense and rich with warm spiciness under the fruit. Firm, grippy tannins, too. 88/100

Il Sole de Alessandro 2004 IGT
100% Cabernet, planted in 1995. Warmly aromatic, sweet nose with ripe, dense cherry and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is bright and focused with berry and blackcurrant fruit. Good structure. 88/100

Cignale 2004 IGT
Very deep coloured. Sweet aromatic berry fruit nose with good intensity. Very berryish and pure. The palate is focused with ripe sweet berryish and blackcurrant fruit. The tannins are quite supple: very stylish and expressive. 90/100  

Here's a short film of my visit:

CHIANTI SERIES

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Fontodi
Part 3: Castello di Querceto
Part 4: Castello della Paneretta
Part 5: Bibbiano
Part 6: Fattoria di Felsina
Part 7: Castell'in Villa
Part 8: Palazzino
Part 9: Barone Ricasoli
Part 10: Colle Lungo
Part 11: Vicchiomaggio

Wines tasted 10/08  
Find these wines with wine-searcher.com

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