Querce Bettina is a family owned and operated winery on the southwest slopes of Montalcino at an altitude of around 440m above sea level. Husband and Wife team Sandra Barenghi and Roberto Moretti bought the 29 hectare estate in 1990 and following years of research into the terrain they planted 2.4 hectares of sangiovese vines in 1999.
Sandra and Roberto are originally from Brianza near Milan. On one weekend trip to Montalcino 25 years ago they met Silvano, the owner of the land of Querce Bettina. Silvano did not have sufficient funds to develop the vineyard so he decided to sell the land. With the beautiful land in front of them, the sense of deep culture and the wonderful Brunello story they decided to buy the land.
Today of the 2.4 hectares of vineyard, 1 hectare is designated for Brunello DOCG and 1.4 hectares for Rosso di Montalcino DOC and 1.5ha is dedicated to 530 olive trees.
The soils are composed mainly of galestro with clay and sandy marl, which is highly suitable to Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello). The vines are cordon trained with a unilateral spur, planted 80cm apart and with 2.5m between the rows.
Minimal intervention in the vineyard is an important philosophy of the estate utilizing organic farming and winemaking practices.
Roberto and Sandra say that their wine is made in the vineyard and they do their best not to ruin it in the cellar. This is the essence of Querce Bettina. What this amounts to is minimal intervention in the vineyard in order to harvest perfectly healthy grapes, stringent fruit selection via green harvest, hand harvesting and sorting tables to ensure every grape goes into the winery in the best possible condition. Gentle pressing is followed by fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperatures (including malolactic fermentation). There is moderate extraction and sensitive use of oak using Slavonian botti for Brunello. The wines are not filtered or artificially stabilized. Such practices would inevitably diminish the wine’s beneficial properties.
The vineyard is perfectly located being 440 metres above sea level and south west of Montalcino. Facing south west allows the grapes to receive 14 hours of sunshine in summer and with the prevailing sea breezes this gives it a natural protection from mould. With quality grapes they minimize the artificial impact in the conversion to wine. They use minimal sulphur and copper and avoid any process of pasteurization, filtration and clarification.
The yield per hectare is 45 hectolitres. Fermentation is in stainless steel at 28-33 degrees for 12 days. The post fermentation maceration on the skins takes place for another 3-4 days. The Brunello is aged for 36 months in 2,200 litre Slavonian oak barrels the Brunello Riserva is selection of the best vintages for a longer aging totally 48 months.