Castello di Querceto – Chianti Classico Annata and Riserva
In January 2022, I wrote an article about two Chianti Classico wines from Castello di Querceto. These representatives of the top of the Chianti Classico quality pyramid were their 2018 vintage Gran Selezione wines, namely Il Picchio and La Corte. You can read about those here (including new updated prices and stockists for 2025).
Now it’s time to take a look at two other Chianti Classico wines made by the estate. These are arguably those which established the estate’s long reputation and prestige. These are Chianti Classico 2023 Annata and Riserva 2021. These two wines are the core of Castello di Querceto’s production, amounting to 75% of the total.
Meanwhile, the estate has been helmed for the past 128 years by the François family. Five generations have now farmed here since arriving in 1897, with their first vintage in 1904. Today, Lia François is responsible for winemaking. She is a member of the Italian Le Donna del Vino (Women in Wine) association.
Castello di Querceto was a founder member of the Chianti Classico consorzio, back in 1924 – long before it became a DOC in 1967 and DOCG in 1996! This beautiful wine estate also makes a range of other wines, altogether producing 400,000 bottles each year. There is also 5 ha of olive trees for olive oil, and it offers a delightful agriturismo.
“Our Chianti Classicos are proud ambassadors of a growing area in which we deeply believe,” states Simone François. “This is the reason that we practice respectful viticulture and vinify with equal care, because we want our Sangiovese to express its identity fully.”
However, before we get to those two wines in detail, let’s first recap on this historic Chianti Classico Estate with particular focus on sustainability.
Castello di Querceto and Sustainability
Castello di Querceto has a long history of ownership and of wine production. The estate has a 16th-century rebuilt castle (the Castello), though the medieval original was from when the cities of Florence and Sienna were deadly rivals, and it was probably a Roman site before that. The estate name comes from the local oak forests (querceto), which still feature in the landscape.
The property spans approximately 190 hectares, while its 60 hectares of vines contain a typical Tuscan mixture of varieties. They consist primarily of Sangiovese plus local and international varieties. Their planting carefully matches the terroir differences identified from zoning research; hence, the vineyards comprise 25 individual parcels. These lie high up at 350-520 metres on the slopes of Monte San Michele. These are some of the highest locations for Sangiovese in the Classico DOCG, and so amongst the coolest. The soils are rich in polychrome schists. This terroir gifts the wines clean-edged aromatics, tautness, and impressive depth, all qualities that constitute the winery’s house style.
The company’s sensitivity towards a sustainable future, environmental protection and respect for people takes shape in daily activity, controlled, checked and certified externally. For example, it is part of the VIVA Program, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition, which measures and certifies the application of sustainability principles from grape production to glass. Furthermore, they have developed a strict code of ethics, and all their products comply with food safety standards.
The two wines
The town of Greve in Chianti still holds a special place in my heart. Coming from Florence (Firenze), it’s the first town on the Chiantigiana wine road and the gateway to the Chianti Classico region. Hence, Greve was the first town in Chianti Classico that I ever visited, while on holiday in July 1992, half a lifetime ago.
I can recall visiting a splendid wine shop, where I asked for a case of representative Chianti Classico wines to take home with me, as I was then too cautious to make winery visits! I had to take the quality of those bottles largely on trust (though they were cross-referenced to books by Burton Anderson and Maureen Ashley MW). They were from the great 1983 and 1988 vintages, and every bottle turned out to be stunning, with their producers becoming firm favourites. Of course, Castello di Querceto’s Annata and Riserva were two of the wines included in that case!
Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Annata 2023
Chianti Classico DOCG, 2023, 13.5%
Technical
The Annata wine is 92% Sangiovese and 8% “complementari“, which I suspect comprises Canaiolo, Colorino, Mammolo and Ciliegolo, all traditional local partners. The first vintage was 1904, and now there are 200,000 bottles each year – half of the Estate’s production.
The 2023 growing year began with a dry, mild winter and a spring that brought abundant rainfall, especially between May and June, which put the vineyard team to the test in defending the vines from fungal attacks. The rains nevertheless provided sufficient water reserves to cope with the very hot summer that followed. The clusters were able to develop normally, with slightly smaller berries than usual. The harvest, limited in quantity and of fine quality, was a little early, in the first ten days of September.
After fermentation (around 10 days at 28 ℃), the wine was aged for about 10 months in a mixture of concrete vats and steel tanks. After blending, bottling is at the property, under cork closures.
Tasting
An invitingly bright ruby red with purple hues. This is a fruity example made without wood that is drinking now. The nose initially offers damson, with hints of cloves and cinnamon. As it opens up in the glass, there’s that hint of bergamot that’s a hallmark of Sangiovese. Onto the palate, the fruit shows as dark cherry, with hints of herbs such as thyme. There’s nicely balanced acidity, unobtrusive alcohol and softened tannins. A final long, slightly saline finish brings you back for more.
Food
For Food, try tomato-based pasta dishes, aubergines, mushrooms, and roasted white meats. As for longevity, ten years from the harvest seems about right.
Commercially, this is the most important wine in the portfolio, so you can’t afford to get this one wrong! A great introduction to what Chianti Classico can be – and it’s won far too many awards to list!.
UK Availability includes the Secret Bottle Shop £19.95
Castello di Querceto Riserva Chianti Classico Riserva 2021
Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, 2021, 13.5%
Technical
Again, the Riserva is 92% Sangiovese and 8% “complementari” (and again I assume Canaiolo, Colorino, Mammolo and Ciliegolo), taken from several vineyards. Again, the first vintage was 1904, and there are 100,000 bottles each year, so about 25% of the total production.
A mild but rainy winter ushered in the 2001 growing year. A dry, unusually warm March followed, then temperatures dropped sharply at the beginning of April. Frequent spring rains slowed down shoot growth, while the hot, dry summer was nicely balanced by well-distributed rains in September. The result was an excellent ripening process, taking place slightly later, in the latter part of September.
Fermentation lasted 15 days at 28℃. Being a Riserva, this is aged for 24 months, twelve months of which is in once- and twice-used barrels (so no new oak). After blending and bottling under cork, it receives three months’ rest before release.
Tasting
The Riserva should be a more “serious” wine, and it is. It’s full-bodied crimson colour leads to an initially subdued nose of red berries, floral (violet) notes and a hint of orange peel, which then opens up, showing darker damsons and bergamot/loose tea. In the glass, it expresses still noticeable but nevertheless elegant tannins, which will fully resolve in the next 2-3 years. Again, the alcohol is restrained, while the acidity adds a silken sheen to the red berry fruit.
The wood ageing adds a little bit of toast, while the finale shows a persistent and balanced peppery finish, with a touch more salinity. Drinking now with food, and will develop further, with a long life ahead, say 15-20 years.
Food
As for food, those extra tannins mean it’s a fine partner for Bistecca alla Fiorentina, grilled and roasted red meats, aubergines and tomatoes, and old hard cheeses.
UK Availability includes Soho Wine Supply, £22.99
And Finally
Here are different interpretations of Chianti Classico. Each is superb and terrific value in its category, so both are recommended enthusiastically!
The François House’s coat of arms (shown in the main picture above) bears the motto, “virtutis invidia comes” (envy is virtue’s companion). Sadly, this is often the case. However, as far as their wine goes, I prefer to “Gratias agite potius quam avidetis” (give thanks rather than covet).
Location
Castello di Querceto
Via Alessandro François, 2
50022 Greve in Chianti
Firenze
Toscana
Italy