Querciabella on Path to Revolutionizing Denomination, Unearths Gem of Chianti Classico

GREVE IN CHIANTI, Tuscany, Italy, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Thanks to the recent acquisition of 25 hectares of highly coveted vineyard sites in Chianti Classico from the historic property of San Polo in Rosso, Querciabella is a significant step closer to realizing its most ambitious project to date. A growing number of vineyard holdings and a rigorous microvinification regime, where fermentation and barrel maturation are carried out on a lot-by-lot basis, underscore Querciabella's aim to zero in on the best local terroirs in a revolutionary way by becoming the first producer to bottle single-vineyard crus of pure Sangiovese from multiple sub-zones of Chianti Classico.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120621/538473 )

Merely 100 sq. kilometers (39 sq. miles) of vineyards make up this region - an area straddled by the cities of Florence in the north and Siena in the south - yet the diversity of local soil styles that exist within Chianti Classico is indeed remarkable. "While Sangiovese has always been the fulcrum of the Chianti Classico zone, the grape variety is extremely sensitive to the specific environment in which it grows," says Querciabella's Technical Director Dales D'Alessandro. "San Polo is one of the area's few sub-zones that possesses all of the quintessential climate and soil features that are vital in obtaining Sangiovese with finesse, elegance and structure."

Located in the renowned winemaking commune of Gaiole in Chianti, San Polo is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the legendary Cetinaia. "It took us nearly six years to locate the perfect place for our expansion," says D'Alessandro, "but the moment we stepped onto this land, we recognized that San Polo is a magical place."

Querciabella's owner Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni conceived the San Polo project to build upon his estate's strong legacy of winemaking excellence. Acclaimed Supertuscans Batàr, Camartina and Palafreno are protagonists of the Querciabella tradition and precursors of what can be expected from the estate's highly anticipated single vineyard Sangiovese wines in upcoming vintages. Given Querciabella's international reach (with distribution in over 40 foreign markets), this bold project promises to dramatically elevate the perception of Chianti Classico on the world map as a denomination that is unquestionably on a par with the most illustrious winemaking appellations.

Querciabella is a Tuscan producer of fine wine with 74 hectares (183 acres) of biodynamic vineyards in Chianti Classico (Greve, Panzano, Radda and Gaiole in Chianti) as well as 32 hectares (79 acres) in coastal Maremma. Rigorous production standards and a cruelty-free philosophy make the winery an important Italian benchmark for ethical viticulture and winemaking. The estate produces Batàr, Camartina, Palafreno, Querciabella Chianti Classico and Mongrana. Follow the winery @Querciabella on Twitter and Facebook.

For interviews with Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni and hi-res images:

Stephanie Cuadra, Communications & Marketing Director,

+39-345-909-909-2, [email protected], http://www.querciabella.com

SOURCE Querciabella