Cignale 2017 Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 750ml by Castello di Querceto

Cignale — Italian for "wild boar" — is Castello di Querceto's ambitious statement piece, a Super Tuscan born from a historic collaboration between the estate and its longtime importer, Empson. The wine leans decisively toward Bordeaux in its varietal makeup: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, with just 10% Merlot folded in to soften the structure, sourced entirely from two specific parcels — La Sorgente and Ponticini — planted on a mix of sand, silt, and clay at 490 to 520 meters altitude, guyot-trained, south and southeast-facing, and harvested in mid-October. Only about 13,500 bottles are produced in any given vintage, and the estate's own guidance suggests the wine holds up in the cellar for as long as 20 years.

Production is unhurried and deliberate: fermentation proceeds on the skins for a full 21 days before the wine settles into barrique for 18 months, followed by a minimum of six additional months resting in bottle before release. The 2017 vintage stands as one of the estate's most decorated recent releases: James Suckling awarded a remarkable 95 Points, Falstaff scored it 93 Points, and the wine earned a Gold Medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles — a genuine critical and competition sweep for a single vintage. That level of recognition places 2017 confidently alongside Cignale's other celebrated years: Wine Spectator gave 91 points to the 2016, James Suckling and Wine Advocate both scored the 2018 at 94, Wine Enthusiast gave the 2019 a 93, and James Suckling scored the 2020 at 94.

Wine.com's tasting note on a neighboring vintage described a wine that's "plump, rich and nicely structured," with "a dark core of dense fruit, spice, dark blackberry and dried plum," structured and firm with "good support for all that rich and dense oak fruit." Wine-Searcher's own house tasting note across vintages consistently finds "aromas of blackberries and licorice with some sage and Tuscan rosemary," following through to "a full body with integrated tannins that are polished and creamy," with "lovely balance and length." Very deep ruby red, elegant and well-structured, scents of red fruits and typical notes of humus, with a balsamic note that fades into pine, full-bodied in the mouth but velvety, with balanced tannins throughout. This is a Super Tuscan with genuine critical consistency behind it, and the 2017 vintage in particular stands out as one of its finest showings.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Cignale is produced by Castello di Querceto, a family estate in Greve in Chianti, Tuscany, through a historic collaboration with the winery's longtime importer, Empson & Co. The wine is classified under the Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT, a designation that gives Castello di Querceto the freedom to build a Bordeaux-style blend outside the stricter Sangiovese-based requirements of Chianti Classico DOCG.

The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, sourced from two specific estate vineyards — La Sorgente and Ponticini — farmed on a mix of sand, silt, and clay soils at 490 to 520 meters altitude, trained with the Guyot system at a density of roughly 6,501 vines per hectare, with south to southeast exposure. Grapes are harvested by hand in mid-October. Following selective fermentation, the wine macerates on its skins for 21 days before undergoing malolactic fermentation, then ages 18 months in barrique, followed by a minimum of six additional months in bottle before release, sealed under natural cork. Annual production runs approximately 13,500 bottles, and the estate's own guidance suggests the wine is capable of cellaring for up to 20 years.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 95 Points:"Blackberries, blueberries and lavender with some sandalwood. Some roses, too. Full-bodied and very tight with linear, racy tannins. I like the intensity and focus. Very cool for a 2017."

Falstaff — 93 Points

Gold Medal — Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

Tasting Profile

Nose
Deep ruby red in color. Blackberries and licorice lead, joined by sage and Tuscan rosemary. Red fruits and typical notes of humus add earthy complexity, alongside a balsamic note that gradually fades into pine and cassis.

Palate
Plump, rich, and nicely structured, with a dark core of dense fruit, spice, dark blackberry, and dried plum. Full-bodied but velvety, with polished, creamy, integrated tannins that provide real structure without harshness.

Finish
Balanced and long, closing on the same balsamic, piney character that runs throughout — genuine length and lovely balance that supports the wine's stated 20-year cellaring potential.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Beef, lamb, veal
• Poultry
• Cured meats
• Aged hard cheeses