Batar Toscana IGT Agricola Querciabella 2020 《Terroir Collection - TI007》

Region : Toscana IGT

Grapes : 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Bianco

Alcohol : 14%

Website : https://querciabella.com/

🌟 Vivino : Vintage 2019 Ranks #2 in Top 23 Central ltaly White wines in Hong Kong right now

🏅 Decanter 95 pts

🏅 James Suckling 94 pts

🏅 Wine Advocate 93 pts

🏅 Vinous 93 pts

🏅 Wine & Spirits 92 pts

🏅 Wine Spectator 90 pts

🏅 Jancis Robinson.com 17.5+/20 pts

🏅 Vivino 4.3

1974

Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni – an industrial entrepreneur and lifelong wine lover – bought a single hectare of vineyard on a Tuscan hillside and set about creating an estate that would soon span the breadth of the region. He dreamed of producing elegant, rich wines, made not only from native Sangiovese grapes, but also from those of his beloved Bordeaux and Burgundy… Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc, to name a few.

1980s and 1990s

Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni – Pepito’s son and an investor and entrepreneur in his own right – converted the estate to organic viticulture in 1988, making Querciabella one of the first wineries in Italy to employ this practice. Under his leadership, Querciabella became known as one of Italy’s best and most innovative wine producers by the turn of the 20th century.

2000s

Sebastiano’s passion for animal rights and the preservation of the environment took organics at Querciabella one step further. In the year 2000, Sebastiano introduced a 100% plant‑based approach to biodynamics that forbids the use of animal products on our vineyards or in our cellars. Once again, Querciabella was an innovator in the industry and an inspiration in the region.

Today

Today, that single hectare in Tuscany is just a small part of the more than 100 hectares of the Querciabella vineyards. And throughout these vibrant vineyards – flanked in the Chianti Classico region by oak forests and rolling hills, and in Maremma by the rough beauty of an unspoilt Tuscan coastline – all of the grape varieties Pepito dreamed of now thrive in the rich, biodynamic soil that has become the single most important ingredient in Querciabella’s award-winning recipes.

Tomorrow

Querciabella’s commitment to creating extraordinary wines, without causing harm or disrupting the delicate balance of nature, will not waiver. It is this commitment that makes our wines as lively and beautiful as our land, and it is how we will continue to innovate and to inspire for decades to come. Our wines have been called “Burgundian in spirit” and we don’t disagree. But the real secret is in the soil… the very same from which grow the mightiest of oaks.

Vineyards

With over 74 hectares of prime Chianti Classico vineyards – located in the communes of Greve, Radda and Gaiole – and 32 hectares in Maremma on Tuscany’s southern coast, we represent the largest extension of vegan (certified organic) vineyards in Italy.

Since our beginnings in 1974 in the high village of Ruffoli on the hillside above Greve in Chianti, we have gradually expanded our holdings across Chianti Classico. Each site is surrounded by oak forests and olive groves whose presence not only adds to the abundant biodiversity found there but also offers protection against cross-contamination from conventional farms.

Amidst Maremma’s untamed wilderness, Querciabella estate in Alberese borders the Uccellina Natural Park, a fraction of Grosseto. The first vineyards were planted in 2000 to Sangiovese along with International varietals Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, all cultivated biodynamically since inception.

Our vineyards provide ideal living conditions for billions of microorganisms in the soil but also for many wild animals such as endemic birds and insects. This leads to a natural state of balance above and below the ground that translates into great vitality in our wines.

Winemaking 

Batàr owes its complexity to a careful vinification in barrique that exalts the diversity of each lot. The wine matures on its own yeasts for more than 9 months, with regular bâtonnage. Fine and extra fine-grained French oak barriques (228 l) are used, 20% new.

Tasting

Batàr shines in the glass, with its bright yellow core and golden hues. The bouquet is broad and fragrant, with acacia flowers, chamomile, peach, yellow plum and melon interlaced with buttery aromas, sweet spices, saffron, and cedar wood. A flinty, mineral quality adds precision to the intricate frame. On the palate, the wine is voluptuous yet elegant, showing great finesse and intense aromatic persistence. The mouthfeel is balanced and lifted.

🏅 Decanter 95 pts

The 2020 vintage is more herbal than usual, with sage, thyme and a citrussy character, then its typical peach kernel core. The attack is full, silky, concentrated and textured, yet vibrant on the finish.One of the most sought after white wines of Italy, with proven ability to age, Batàr originates from vineyards in Ruffoli, in Greve in Chianti, some of which reach 600m. The Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco grapes are fermented and aged for nine months in French oak. It's a very classic white SuperTuscan (first vintage was 1988) with a stylish Corton-Charlemagne attitude.

🏅 James Suckling 94 pts

Intense nose of cedar, smoked almond, mango puree, papaya and lemon pie. Full-bodied, dense and creamy with delicious praline and pie-crust character, balanced by just the right amount of lemony acidity. From organically grown grapes. Vegan.

🏅 Wine Advocate 93 pts

The organic 2020 Batar offers fresh, citrusy tones with lemon curd and candied peach.  This barrique-aged white also offers mid-weight density and plenty of orchard fruit, saffron and light spice.  It concludes with fresh acidity.

🏅 Vinous 93 pts

The 2020 Batar, Querciabella's Chardonnay/Pinot Blanc white, is laced with hints of tangerine oil, jasmine, spice andpear. Light tropical accents appear later, adding gorgeous nuance throughout. The move towards high elevationvineyards and picking earlier yields a Batar endowed with terrific freshness and plenty of style.

🏅 Wine & Spirits 92 pts

This barrel-aged blend is equal parts chardonnay and pinot bianco. It’s bold and heady with flavors of poached pear, buttered pineapple and vanilla bean couched in a rich, saline-inflected texture. Cool mineral tones emerge after an hour in the glass, along with scents of orange blossom and chamomile that lift the finish.

🏅 Wine Spectator 90 pts

A fresh, light-bodied white, offering peach, apple, butterscotch and baking spice flavors. Vibrant and well-defined, verging on creamy in texture, with a lingering citrus finish.

$580/bottle