Querciabella Dinner with Manfred Ing
Querciabella Camartina and Gran Selezione: how we got here
A JOURNEY FROM SUPER TUSCAN ICON, TO THE SEARCH FOR THE QUINTESSENTIAL SANGIOVESE
Straight off the back of the superb Hallgarten Annual Tasting, we were joined by Winemaker Manfred Ing, and Export Director Giorgio Fragiacomo from Querciabella for the first of our 2026 Estate Nights. This was a particularly special dinner for the estate as it was their first time showcasing the Gran Selezione project. Throughout the evening we were taken on a journey through the vinous history of Querciabella and, as Giorgio explained: “Camartina put us on the map, the white Batar cemented us on the map, and now Manfred has ensured the estate’s future”.
“Chianti Classico is such a fine wine – here’s the proof.”
Jancis Robsinson MW
As our glasses were filled with Champagne and we took our seats in the private dinning room at Campanelle, Manfred and Giorgio took the floor. To understand Querciabella today, we first had to go back in time to the late 1960s. A time when fine wine wasn’t even a concept in Italy; milk cost more than a bottle of Chianti and the infamous fiasco bottles were everywhere. Quantity ruled.
It was the seismic shift caused by Giacomo Tachis, the founding father of Super Tuscans, that changed the game. He advised Querciabella’s founder, Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni, to ‘go inland and go up’. Searching for altitude, Pepito found ‘the hill of the beautiful oaks’ – Querciabella – and in 1981 released his own Super Tuscan: Camartina.
After a pause for our antipasto of beef fillet tartare topped with quail egg, Manfred explained his mission at Querciabella. Having joined the estate 16 years ago, the Gran Selezione project has been at the heart of Manfred’s work. The 2018, 2019 and 2020 vintages were poured and enjoyed with a beef shin ragù fettucine. These wines represent the best of the best of the vintage and demonstrate how Sangiovese truly speaks. It’s not about power and oak, but elegance and finesse.
Whilst the years are warming up in Tuscany, and around the world, Manfred explained that it is the inconsistency in weather patterns that is the nightmare winemakers have to overcome. Earlier this year, the region had snow which has not happened for several years. Every vintage is therefore a winemaker’s vintage. Nevertheless, Manfred believes that vintage expression is key for the Gran Selezione wines, which was shown in the three vintages we enjoyed:
- 2018
- Manfred smells in colour, and 2018 lights up as ‘purple’. There is violet and lifted fruits on the nose – textbook for 2018 – with hints of liquorice, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. The density is there but the wine is still young and sky – this Gran Selezione is not about power and will develop delightfully.
- 2019
- Hailed by Giorgio as Manfred’s masterpiece and legacy wine, the 2019 has arrived and is ready to go. It ticks all the Sangiovese boxes of finesse, elegance and freshness. Whilst still developing and with present tannins, the velvet texture and fruit complexity can start to be understood and this wine knows where it wants to go.
- 2020
- As the youngest wine of the night, the 2020 is still in a state of evolution. Manfred recalled that the hardest thing about the year was the global pandemic lockdown, rather than any challenges caused by Mother Nature. The wine is subdued but slowly unravels in the glass. As a ‘sleeper’ vintage, the 2020 gets better each time Manfred tastes it, and we cannot wait to try this again over the next few decades.
Sangiovese is “the greatest chameleon in showing terroir.”
Manfred Ing, Winemaker at Querciabella
The second flight of Camartina was expertly paired with a 45 day aged beef sirloin and winter truffle, highlighting the gastronomic qualities of each vintage. Born out of the Super Tuscan revolution, Camartina has evolved over the decades and the three vintages sampled made clear that this wine should not be rushed. Discussions and questions whirled around the room as the wines were swirled in their glasses, showing just how age-worthy Querciabella can be.
With a trio of exciting vintages of Camartina in our glasses, Manfred confirmed that “Old Camartina is something very special”. Querciabella have recently completed a new storage area for their library of back vintages.
- 1996
- In comparison to other vintages like 1997, the ’96 jumps out of the glass. With a classically old-school aroma and style, drinking this has the nostalgia and enjoyment of days gone by. Still with primary fruits and incredible freshness, the story of this vintage is still in its beginnings.
- 2004
- A classic vintage in Tuscany, and the 30th anniversary of Querciabella, this celebratory vintage stood firm a strong, with rich, powerful tannins. A different style of wine to that which Manfred now makes, the 2004 reflects the vintage which was balanced between the wet ’02 and hot ’03.
- 2013
- Following a downpour of rain throughout May, exceptional weather finished off the year allowing for Querciabella’s latest-ever harvest on 4th October. The wine, whilst still young, is delicious now and will delight anyone who can hold back on drinking through their cases too early.
One Final Surprise…
Before the night was over, Giorgio and Manfred ensured the unforgettable nature of this event with a final surprise. Covered in foil, the table was presented with two magnums of white wine. As our guests inspected the colour and sampled the liquid, Giorgio recited the history of Batar. Born from a family obsession with white Burgundy and the likes of Haut-Brion Blanc, Batar was their attempt to create a serious Italian white wine. Since Super Tuscans have no legal definition, when in discussion many people first assume red. But if you travel the world with Manfred and mention white Super Tuscan, there is only one name that comes back every time: Batar.
For Manfred, it is “one of the greatest honours to continue the legacy of Batar” – a wine which Jancis Robinson has called “a dream of a white”. Following discussion and guesses as to the vintage of our surprise magnums, the foil was removed and Manfred revealed we had been treated to the 2004 Batar. A truly unforgettable experience!
“Querciabella is distinguished by an approach that deftly marries artisan spirit with a touch of sleekness.”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More on Querciabella
Querciabella is firmly established among the elite Tuscans and famed for three wines: their Chianti Classico, which is considered one of the best in the market; their white Burgundy styled Chardonnay blend which danced with the polemical when it was named provocatively Batard; now renamed Batar. Finally and most prominently their leading Super Tuscan wine Querciabella Camartina…