Biography
Castello di Querceto, for over a century, since long ago 1897, has belonged to the François family, of French origins, but in Tuscany since the 18th century when one of its members, a functionary of the house of the Hapsburgs of Lorrain, moved to Italy when the Grand Duchy came into their possession. The Castle is situated in the north-eastern part of Chianti Classico, in a small valley of the township of Greve in Chianti just a few miles from Florence; the vineyards and olive groves of the estate lie on the slopes of the valley at altitudes which range from 1300 to 1750 feet above sea level and are accordingly considered “high altitude”. The estate extends over 465 acres of property, 150 of which are planted to vines; the vineyards are located almost entirely around the castle and the estate headquarters, where, alongside the old estate buildings, a production unit of recent and modern construction has been erected with full respect for the tradition and the architectural style of the zone.
After two generations of activity, Alessandro François began an entirely new phase in the late 1970’s, one in which the estate was completely restructured with large investments involving both the viticulture and the transformation of the grapes into wine. Given the important expansion of the house in recent years, it was decided to plan for further development, a larger volume of production, and a rationalization of the entire production process.
Viticulture is conducted with an eye both to high quality grapes and to the ecological compatibility of cultivation practices. The philosophy of Querceto is based on the idea of maximizing character and personality through a thorough study of the characteristics of the single vineyard plots, with the aim of achieving all of the potential of the various grape varieties cultivated on the property. The most important offering is the Chianti Classico Riserva Il Picchio, 90% Sangiovese and the remaining part Canaiolo, a wine of notable structure and personality, very elegant in its impeccably Chianti style. It is an unmistakeably traditional wine, rich in noble tannins and a perfect match for red meat and game.