Querciabella : Palafreno 2010

Tasting characteristics and advice for Palafreno 2010 from Querciabella

Tasting

Color
The color reveals a deep red hue with garnet highlights.

Nose
The nose unveils a complex bouquet marked by aromas of black cherry and plum, alongside subtle notes of spices, wild herbs, and leather. With aeration, hints of menthol, tobacco, and wildflowers emerge, adding an elegant tertiary dimension.

Palate
On the palate, this wine stands out for its linear, taut structure while offering remarkable richness. Firm yet well-integrated tannins support a concentrated core in which flavors of cherry, leather, menthol, and minerality are expressed with precision and intensity. The wine’s energy and vibrancy preserve its freshness despite the fruit’s concentration. The long, fresh finish lingers with fruity, spicy, and mineral notes.

Food and wine pairings
Palafreno 2010 pairs ideally with refined dishes such as sautéed mushrooms with fresh thyme and balsamic vinegar, caramelized root vegetables, roasted squash seasoned with tarragon, marjoram, and basil, or a mushroom and walnut pâté. This wine also pairs beautifully with duck in blood orange sauce, wild boar, or venison served with a berry sauce. Grilled or roasted vegetable preparations, developing concentrated and slightly bitter flavors, also find a fine balance with this wine.

Serving and cellaring
Palafreno 2010 reveals its sublime character around six to seven years after the harvest and continues to evolve positively for at least twenty years. This wine can be enjoyed until around 2035. Decanting is recommended to allow the wine to fully open up.

An exceptional Merlot from Tuscany, a pure expression of the Italian terroir of Ruffoli

The estate
Founded in 1974 by Giuseppe Castiglioni, Querciabella has established itself as one of Tuscany’s most innovative wine estates. Now owned by Mita Castiglioni, the founder’s daughter, the estate spans more than 90 hectares of vines certified organic and biodynamic, spread between Chianti Classico and Maremma. Querciabella stands out for its pioneering commitment: conversion to organic farming as early as 1988, biodynamic certification in 2000, and the adoption of fully plant-based viticulture in 2010. The estate is internationally recognized for the elegance and precision of its wines, as well as for its bee sanctuary, a testament to its deep ecological commitment.

The vineyard
Palafreno 2010 comes exclusively from two parcels, Cipresso and Marrone, located in the Ruffoli district in Tuscany, on the hills overlooking Greve in Chianti. These vines benefit from an outstanding terroir composed of skeletal schist soils with low clay content, providing excellent drainage while retaining sufficient moisture. The parcels’ southern exposure ensures optimal sunshine, while the altitude and topography create a cool microclimate marked by significant day-to-night temperature swings. These conditions allow Merlot to reach full phenolic ripeness while preserving a natural acidity that gives the wine its freshness and balance.

The vintage
The 2010 vintage in Tuscany proved particularly favorable. After a mild, relatively dry winter, spring brought cool temperatures and adequate humidity, encouraging even flowering. The first week of May saw a significant rise in temperatures, reaching 30°C, and this warmth persisted throughout the summer. Despite the summer dryness, water reserves built up in spring enabled the vines to get through the season without hydric stress. September offered ideal conditions with warm days and cool nights, creating a wide diurnal range that favored optimal phenolic development and the preservation of natural acidity. The hand-harvest of Merlot from the Cipresso and Marrone parcels began on September 19, 2010, when the grapes had reached the perfect balance between sugar ripeness, phenolic development, and acidity.

Vinification and aging
Palafreno 2010 is made following a minimalist approach that favors the natural expression of the fruit. After a selective micro-vinification retaining only the finest berries, fermentation takes place under gentle conditions that encourage a delicate extraction of aromatic compounds, color, and tannins. Maceration lasts around two weeks, allowing for full extraction without generating excessive harshness. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels, 30% new and 70% previously used for one wine or more. Aging continues for about eighteen months, during which the wine develops its complexity and structure. An additional year of bottle aging precedes release, allowing the wine to regain harmony after barrel aging.

Grape variety
100% Merlot