The wine
- Colour
- Bianco
- Alcohol
- 13.5% vol
Critics' scores
- Robert Parker / Wine Advocate 88
The 2010 Batar wraps around the palate with juicy peaches, apricots, flowers, spices and French oak. This is a decidedly ripe, opulent style for a cold year. Querciabella has made gigantic strides with their Sangiovese program over the last few years; perhaps that is why this Pinot Blanc/Chardonnay blend seems a bit stuck in the past. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014. Querciabella is located in the hillsides of Greve, one of the most beautiful corners of Chianti Classico. Proprietor Sebastiano Cossia Castiglione, one of the most thoughtful and conscientious owners in Italy, has quietly sought to ramp up the quality of his wines in a big way. Castiglione has enlisted the services of Vietti's Luca Currado to help him reach a number of ambitious goals. Recently acquired vineyards that give birth to single-village wines will start appearing in the estate's lineup as soon as next year. These new releases are a step in a new direction, although 2010 was not the easiest of years, especially for the reds. The estate did not make its flagships Camartina and Palafreno in 2009.
- Wine Spectator 90
Toasty, displaying vanilla, clove, nutmeg, butterscotch and baked apple flavors. Balanced, this is rich in texture, with a long finish. Needs some air to blossom. Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. Drink now through 2016. 1,080 cases made. –BS
The producer: Querciabella
Establish in 1974 by Giuseppe Castiglioni, the Querciabella winery is based in the picturesque Tuscan hills. Today, the estate covers 74 hectares of key Chianti Classico vineyards in the communes of Greve, Panzano, Radda and Gaiole, as well as 32 hectares along the Etruscan coast in Maremma. Priding themselves on their devotion to nature, Querciabella has practiced organic viticulture since 1988 and has since converted to biodynamic practices in 2000. Giuseppe’s son, Sebastiano Coassia Castiglioni is now at helm. The estate produces seven unique wines that reflect each of Querciabella’s distinct terroirs. Five of these are produced from their vineyard holdings in the Chianti Classico zone, including their flagship – Camartina – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Querciabella is one of the region’s finest producers, incorporating both quality and typicity year after year.