Agricole Querciabella

Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni, an industrial entrepreneur and wine enthusiast, founded Querciabella in 1974 by purchasing a hectare of vineyard on a Tuscan hillside. His vision was to create a wine estate that would produce elegant, rich wines using not only the native Sangiovese grapes but also other varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc. The estate has since expanded to cover a large area of Tuscany's Chianti Classico and Maremma regions, becoming renowned for wines such as Camartina, Batàr, Palafreno, and Querciabella Chianti Classico.

Querciabella's (which is Italian for 'beautiful oak') winegrowing philosophy emphasizes the promotion of balance, considering vineyards as ecosystems dependent on a complex network of biological diversity. They believe that the unique terroir of a wine can only develop when the vine's roots are in symbiosis with its natural surroundings. The estate represents the largest extension of vegan (certified organic) vineyards in Italy, with over 74 hectares in Chianti Classico and 32 hectares in Maremma.

The estate's expansion across Chianti Classico has been gradual, with each site surrounded by oak forests and olive groves, adding to the abundant biodiversity found there while protecting against cross-contamination from conventional farms. In Maremma, the first vineyards were planted in 2000 to Sangiovese and international varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc, all cultivated biodynamically since inception.

Querciabella's vineyards provide ideal living conditions for billions of microorganisms in the soil and support the natural habitats of many wild animals, leading to a natural state of balance above and below the ground that translates into great vitality in their wines. The blend of Camartina originally favored Sangiovese, but over the years, Cabernet Sauvignon has become the preferred varietal due to its acclimatization to Ruffoli's sandstone slopes. The wines are matured separately for 18 months in French Oak barrels, with the leading barrels selected to make up the final blend.