# Querceto Romantic (2015)

- **Producer:** Castello di Querceto
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Petit Verdot, Merlot, Syrah
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €270
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, cedar, chocolate, coffee, cloves, leather, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Castello di Querceto, located in Greve in Chianti, has been owned by the François family since 1897 and was one of the original 33 founding members of the Consorzio del Chianti Classico in 1924. Querceto Romantic derives its name from a 14th-century Tuscan legend recounted by poet Michele di Lando, which tells of a girl named Lena who introduced Semele to Zeus, leading to the birth of Dionysus in a local Chianti woodland. Harvested from a tiny 2-hectare single vineyard in Lucolena situated at 450 to 500 meters above sea level, this Super Tuscan IGT cuvée is produced exclusively in exceptional vintages with an ultra-limited production of just 2,000 to 5,000 bottles per release.

## Interesting facts

- Named after a 14th-century poem linking the birth of Dionysus to the micro-zone of Lucolena in Chianti.
- Produced only in exceptional vintages, capped at a micro-allocation of 2,000 to 5,000 bottles.
- Castello di Querceto was one of the 33 founding members of the Chianti Classico Consortium in 1924.

## Food pairing

The intense structural frame of high-density tannins and vivid acidity in this Super Tuscan demands rich protein and fat to soften the tannic astringency. Savory game notes, rich red meats, and aged cheeses pair seamlessly with the wine's depth and oak framing.

## Wine making process

Vineyards are managed under certified sustainable viticulture via Italy's VIVA Protocol. Fruit undergoes temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation at 28°C for approximately 20 days. The components undergo separate micro-vinification and oak aging before final assembly: Petit Verdot ages for approximately 30 months in French oak barriques, while Merlot and Syrah age for 18 months in French oak barriques. The wine completes a minimum of 36 months total maturation prior to commercial release.