Winemaker Notes
Camartina is only produced in optimal vintages, while small-batch micro-vinification and an extremely limited bottling guarantee hand-crafted excellence. The wine is released no sooner than 30 months after harvest, and thanks to its longevity, it is sure to be a contender for the best cellars.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
On a par with the 2016 for outright quality, this modern Camartina is a very different style, which shows just how the wine has come in the last five years. Some frost damage in April lowered yields, but rainfall in May set the vines up for the hot, dry summer, althought fortunately there were no extreme heat spikes as experienced in 2020. The vines were refreshed by rain in the autumn, prolonging the growing season. Aromatic and lifted, this charms with its violet and hedgerow berry fragrance. It's full of energy, tightly coiled and beautifully balanced, with a menthol-fresh attack which gives way to precise pomegranate, strawberry and blackberry overlaying wood. Great poise – and tremendous potential.
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James Suckling
A restrained wine with subtle aromas of licorice, graphite and hints of leaves and balsamic. Medium- to full-bodied with firm, dusty, velvety yet ripe tannins, crisp lifted acidity and an elegant, long-lasting finish of cherry pits. Vegan. From organically grown grapes.
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Vinous
The 2021 Camartina (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese) is a potent, tightly wound offering from Querciabella. Blue-toned fruit, graphite, dried cherry, mocha and new leather all take shape gradually. The 2021 is a touch compact today, but I see that as a positive for its long-term prospects. Readers will have to be patient with this classy, polished wine. Camartina was once the flagship at Querciabella. These days, it gets a lot of competition from the Gran Seleziones!
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Wine Spectator
Pure and succulent, featuring black currant, cassis, blackberry and pomegranate flavors accented by violet, graphite and cedar. Beautifully balanced and concentrated, yet with lively acidity and refined tannins. Terrific length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, the organic Querciabella 2021 Camartina shows more power and richness, with ample fruit weight and a velvety, soft texture. There is a ripe quality here with apricot and the sweet juice of blood orange, followed by maple and warm spice. The tannins are stacked and nicely polished, but good freshness keeps this bigger wine from feeling bulky or heavy, leading to a medium-length finish. The two varieties are fermented separately and aged for 18 months in French oak barriques, with up to 20% new wood, before blending in cement and more than two years of bottle aging. Looking back over past vintages, this wine performs with remarkable consistency.
Founded in 1974, Querciabella enjoys the acclaim of the world’s most discriminating critics and consumers for wines such as Camartina, Batàr, Palafreno and Querciabella Chianti Classico. In its uncompromising pursuit of quality, sustainability and authenticity, Querciabella has continually honed its approach to biodynamic viticulture for over a decade. With vineyards located throughout Tuscany’s Chianti Classico and Maremma areas, Querciabella exemplifies the mindful preservation of tradition through forward-thinking, albeit completely natural, winemaking.
With 183 acres of prime Chianti Classico vineyards – located in the municipalities of Greve, Panzano, Radda and Gaiole – in addition to 79 acres in Maremma on Tuscany’s unspoiled Etruscan coast, Querciabella’s holdings represent the largest extensions of biodynamically farmed (certified organic) vineyards in Italy, contributing extraordinary biodiversity to local and surrounding ecosystems and serving as a sanctuary for thriving numbers of honeybee colonies.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.