Querca al Poggio Estate:

Querca al Poggio is situated about 400 metres a.s.l. at Monsanto, in the municipality of Barberino Val d'Elsa.

Owned by the Rossi family, the property extends over 100 hectares of woodland nature reserve where vines and olive trees are cultivated to organic farming protocols.

In 1997, Michela and Vittorio embarked on an extensive renewal programme of wine operations, from gradual replanting of the fifteen hectares under vine to rationalisation of the cellars and the introduction of meticulously selected mid-sized oak containers to conserve the original features of the sangiovese and other traditional nature varieties grown on the estate.

The heart of the winery is a nineteenth century farming settlement and what was once a monastery belonging to the Vallombrosan brothers from nearby Badia a Passignano.

Sangiovese has been joined in the new vineyards by plantings of ciliegiolo, colorino, canaiolo and malvasia nera. We have sought to combine new planting techniques with the latest findings on clones and rootstock to respect the local territory and bring out the full potential of the varieties. Wherever possible, we have used budwood from estate vines for regrafting.

Vineyards are located on the hill, half overlooking the north valley towards Barberino Val d'Elsa and half looking south towards Castellina. The structure of the limestone and clay soil with sections of schist and calcareous-clay galestro, and the special location of the vineyards afforded by the geological formation of the hill itself, ensure sunlight and low humidity while the woodland setting encourages a healthful site climate.