Querciabella Turpino

Toscana IGT, Italy

Vintage:2017 (Past)

2015 (Past) | 2019 (Current)

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Querciabella Turpino 2017
  • V 95
  • JS 93

Reviews

JamesSuckling.com 93 Points November 10, 2020, James Suckling

“A full-bodied, structured red with lots of blackcurrants, wild blackberries and cloves. Black olives, dried violets and raw cacao, too. Firm, slightly leafy tannins. Drink after 2023. From organically grown grapes.”

Vinous Media 95 Points August 2020, Antonio Galloni

“The 2017 Turpino is quite reticent, which is surprising given the style and personality of the year. Black cherry, pine, menthol, licorice and chocolate develop nicely over time. Readers should give the 2017 at least a few years in bottle, as it is not at all ready to drink now. The 2017 embodies the house style at Querciabella these days nicely. The wine is rich and deep, but not at all overdone.”

Overview

Founded in 1974, Querciabella enjoys the acclaim of the world’s most discriminating critics and consumers for wines such as Camartina, Batàr, Palafreno and Querciabella Chianti Classico. In its uncompromising pursuit of quality, sustainability and authenticity, Querciabella has continually honed its approach to biodynamic viticulture for over a decade. With vineyards located throughout Tuscany’s Chianti Classico and Maremma areas, Querciabella exemplifies the mindful preservation of tradition through forward-thinking, albeit completely natural, winemaking.

Turpino is a newer wine to the Querciabella portfolio with the first vintage in 2007. The Alberese and Grosseto vineyards in Maremma were planted in 2000 with a north-south orientation. The biodynamic approach has proven particularly suited to the acidic, iron-rich soils of Maremma, a mixture of silt and alluvial sand, sparse with areas of gravel and surface pebbles.

Winemaking

After gentle destemming, the grapes are transferred into three and five-ton oak fermenters, where they undergo a brief period of cold maceration in preparation for a slow and natural fermentation process —which is prompted by the presence of ambient (indigenous) yeast —under carefully monitored, temperature-controlled conditions. The completion of primary fermentation leads to a phase of post-fermentation maceration, during which daily tastings serve to track tannin development and stability.

The wine is then separated from the skins by draining the tank by means of gravity flow. Only the resulting ‘free run’ is used when the wine is racked into barrels (French; 225-liter; 20% new oak; tight grain for cabernet franc; tight-to-medium grain for syrah and merlot). Full malolactic fermentation occurs in the barriques followed by 16 months of élevage. Finally, the blend is made and moved into cement tanks for an integration period of 6 to 8 months before bottling. 

No animal products or byproducts are used in the production of this wine, making it suitable for vegans and vegetarians. 

Harvest Notes

The 2017 vintage is one of the driest on records. The scarcity of rain, a cold winter, and a long, hot summer limited bunches and berries development, but also kept disease pressure low. Thanks to near-perfect autumn conditions, we harvested healthy grapes with vibrant profiles and depth. The high skin-to-juice ratio of the berries and ripe tannins made it a fine start for elegant wines of tension and structure.

Food Pairing

The ideal serving temperature is 59-64°F. 

Technical Information

Varietals: 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Syrah, 20% Merlot

Wine Alcohol: 14%

Titratable Acidity: 5.25 g/L

pH: 3.65

Harvest Start Date: August 1, 2017

Harvest End Date: September 1, 2017

New Oak: 16 months in 20% new fine and extra-fine grained French oak barriques