2011 Batar

Agricola Querciabella's 2011 Batàr is made from organically and biodynamically farmed Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco in Greve in Chianti. Batàr is one of the best white wines to emerge from this Sangiovese-heavy corner of Chianti Classico. The bouquet shows ripe tones of apricot, honey, dried oregano and passion fruit. It offers a good level of complexity to keep your interest. A creamy mouthfeel is capped by spicy endnotes and toasted almond.

Brilliant straw yellow. Beautifully focused nose of yellow and white fruit, hazelnut, brioche, lemon peel and vanilla. Same amazing focus and balance of extract and freshness, without anything dominating or sticking out. Just a little compact on the finish, but it will develop. Plain delicious. (WS)

The 2011 Batar is striking in this vintage. Peach, mint, jasmine, Chamomile, honey and almond notes all flesh out in the glass. Ample, resonant and rich on the palate, the 2011 impresses for its balance, class and harmony. Once again, Batar is one of the most distinctive Tuscan whites. Batar is 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Blanc, with the Pinot Blanc adding an element of freshness that was absolutely critical in this precocious vintage. The 2011 will be appealing young, but it is also a wine that ages very well, and I imagine it will be even better in another year or two. The 2011 was fermented in barrel, with some lees stirring, where it spent nine months prior to being racked into cement for blending and bottling.