Agricola Querciabella farms hillside vineyards in the Chianti Classico zone, the stretch of Tuscany between Florence and Siena where Sangiovese has been grown for centuries. This is the estate's Gran Selezione, the top tier of the appellation, a category created in 2014 that demands a longer ageing period and a wine made entirely from the estate's own grapes.
- Sangiovese, the defining red grape of Tuscany.
- Chianti Classico, the historic heart of the region.
- 2018, a vintage that gave bright, structured wines.
- 13.5% ABV, medium body, high tannin.
- Dry, with high natural acidity.
How it is made
Gran Selezione sits above the standard Chianti Classico and the Riserva. The rules require a minimum ageing period before release and a wine drawn only from the estate's own vineyards, with no purchased fruit. That is what separates the category from the rest of the zone.
How it tastes
Red cherry and violet come first, then leather and a balsamic note that lingers. The tannins are firm and the acidity is high, the two things Sangiovese is built on. It is a wine with grip and a long, savoury finish.
Where it comes from
The Chianti Classico hills run between Florence and Siena, a landscape of clay and limestone soils at altitude. Sangiovese ripens slowly here, keeping its acidity and its perfume. The appellation is one of Italy's oldest defined wine zones.
Good to know
The black rooster on the neck of a Chianti Classico bottle is the symbol of the old Florentine League, and the appellation still uses it to mark every bottle that meets the rules. Gran Selezione is the strictest tier within it.
