Susan Hulme MW, Decanter Magazine and DWWA Judge, tastes ten vintages of Batàr in a vertical spanning from 1998 to 2018.
Batàr manages to be both rich and fresh and seemingly capable of evolving for ever.
Best Italian Chardonnay-based wine.
Querciabella’s Batàr gives a Mediterranean option to lovers of white Burgundy.
One of the best white wines to emerge from this Sangiovese-heavy corner of Chianti Classico.
Tuscany’s most complex and ambitious white wine.
Top 50 world whites.
“A white Tuscan wine that is just as prized as the top red wines of the region”, Batàr enjoys the cult following of an iconic wine.
Widely recognised by critics around the world as the ultimate white Super Tuscan and one of Italy’s greatest white wines, the illustrious Hugh Johnson once described it as “a dream of a white” worth comparing with a Burgundy Grand Cru. In the words of Jancis Robinson MW OBE more like a “particularly successful Corton-Charlemagne than Bâtard-Montrachet”.
Reminiscent of Burgundy, no doubt, yet with unmistakable Tuscan authenticity. Vintage after vintage, Querciabella’s forward-thinking winemaking has evolved beyond the hedonistic idea of succeeding at growing foreign white grapes, albeit noble, in a stronghold of red wines to focus on expressing a specific sense of place. Clearly, Batàr’s inherent vitality and classic minerality derive from the high elevation vineyards of Ruffoli and the Galestro soil typical of Chianti Classico’s best sites.
The legendary ability of Batàr to defy age and improve over time requires a careful combination of hand-selected grapes of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, a punctual micro-vinification regime and patient maturation in barrel. The extended time spent on lees in premium French barriques allows the individual lots to develop their best expression. Only when optimal élevage is complete, the final blend comes together through extensive sampling. Further ageing in bottle, before its release, puts the seal on the layered texture that defines Batàr’s proverbial mouthfeel.
Since 2010, much gentler lees contact and reduced reliance on new oak have defined a distinct freshness and brought to the fore citrus and exotic fruit, with creamy notes now providing a beguiling background.
No animal products or byproducts are used in the production of this wine, making it suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
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