Walter Speller reviews Chianti Classico

Walter Speller reviews Querciabella Riserva 2016 as one of the best wines at this year’s Chianti Classico Collection.

In his report on Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages, Walter Speller reviews our Chianti Classico range. In particular, Querciabella Chianti Classico Riserva is rewarded with 18/20, the highest score across all categories.

Greve in Chianti. 100% Sangiovese. 
Beautiful, concentrated ruby. Quite closed and backward, but subtle and complex on the nose. Bags of concentrated fruit and yet super-elegant palate. Vibrant with perfectly built, long, fine tannins. Refreshing and complex. (WS)
Speller tasted also 102 Chianti Classico 2018s and 2017, concentrating on the just-released wines. Querciabella Chianti Classico 2017 is again among the best wines, showing great balance between opulence, freshness and firm but not overwhelming tannins.

Querciabella 2017 Chianti Classico 17/20
Greve in Chianti. 100% Sangiovese.
Youthful ruby. Classy nose of sweet red fruit, oak and stones and hints of mint. Elegant, juicy and almost a little linear. A wine that contradicts the torrid vintage. (WS)

Openly vocal about his disagreement with the criteria behind Gran Selezione – which he describes as the weaker category of the appellation, developed solely to satisfy the needs of larger producers that prioritise style over terroir – he has proposed his unofficial Gran Cru list of producers based purely on their track record of excellence (Walter’s classification of Chianti Classico ). Inspired by the St-Émilion classification, Speller has chosen Querciabella as one of the top producers of the appellation.

Read the full report