Bibi Graetz | Testamatta

Testamatta means "crazy in the head" and this name hits the nail on the head. When you know with what mad obsession Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand personality-strong results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by many years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work, until finally the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines of the rocky single vineyard Serrone were identified.

The harvest is exclusively manual and each grape is meticulously selected for its quality and ripeness, which then finds its way into the wine cellar on the island. After destemming and gentle pressing under dry ice, the grapes are left to macerate for 48 hours at low temperature, then transferred unfiltered to 225l barriques for fermentation, where the wine then matures for a further 12 months.

straw yellow with golden reflections. Complex bouquet of white pineapple, apple, pear and kiwi, fine notes of mussel shell. Full-bodied, multi-layered and fleshy on the palate, always with a very precise and energetic mouthfeel, pleasant freshness and a mineral impression. Then, in the endlessly long finish, salty layers, fine, barely noticeable tannin and notes of white pepper. Rightly one of Italy's cult white wines! SUPERIORE.DE

"Sparkling, rich straw yellow. Fine and fragrant nose of mirabelle plums, camomile, some resin and light honey. Full-bodied on the palate, has good tension, nutty-creamy in the back, salty finish." Falstaff

"A solid white with dried pear, apple, cream and stone aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with a beautiful core of fruit and a steely, minerally aftertaste. Bright acidity with phenolic texture that holds the wine together nicely, giving it length and tension. Turns lightly chewy and round at the end." James Suckling

"Twenty years in the wine business is nothing, but for me it is twenty years of my life. A life entirely dedicated to wine as a means of expression, and with the current vintage I have finally achieved the finesse I have been looking for for so long. Elegance, that is the word that describes Testamatta 2019. The 20th anniversary of Testamatta is a real milestone, the pinnacle of quality that I have been looking for in my Sangiovese since the first vintage in 2000. Testamatta 2019 is perfectly balanced with deep layers that show incredible complexity."

With these words, Bibi Graetz presented the latest vintage of his Testamatta, the fulfilment of this creative winemaker's dream. Bibi decided twenty years ago to set out from Fiesole on an extraordinary journey into the world of Tuscan wine - with the intention of striving for excellence by assembling plots of great quality, even if they are far apart. A "crazy", innovative, fascinating journey that has grown year after year.

And Testamatta means what describes this Bibi Graetz best: a smiling, creative and passionate person. The wine tells of the purity, minerality and transparency of Sangiovese from old vines and speaks of stony soils and hillside vineyards.

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the estate's 5 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all grapes are picked at the perfect time of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

Dark red in colour with black edges and a bright red hue. The nose is perfumed, with scents of rose petals that transition into ripe red to dried cherries and red currants. This is joined by aromas of earth, light tobacco, black pepper, fresh herbs and spicy cedar. Seemingly weightless on the palate, it is then flooded with a mix of red to dark cherry and redcurrant flavours, complemented by an appealing spiciness. The complexity is complemented by spicy cedar notes, forest floor and dried herbs. Testamatta 2019 is characterised by a lovely freshness with muscular but finely drawn tannins leading into a powerful yet refined finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 20 on the label tells of the 2019 anniversary vintage for Bibi Graetz. The Testamatta consists of pure Sangiovese and has a super delicate colour. Delicate, delicate and super light, it presents itself on the nose, very fragrant and floral, with fine, spicy notes of tobacco and herbal sweets. In the bulbous Hermitage glass of the Veritas series, it smells much fresher than in a Bordeaux goblet, a little tomato sauce and broth in the background. Superfine and fragrant, it opens with Pinot-like delicacy in the mouth. Very charming and delicate, juicy and ripe, with excellent balance. The tannins are slenderly arranged and slightly rough. Complex, idiosyncratic Sangiovese that is clearly leaner than a Chianti Classico Riserva or a Brunello di Montalcino." Weinwisser

"Sparkling ruby, luminous. Intense and appealing nose with lots of ripe plums, black cherry, plus some porcini mushrooms and dark olive paste. Powerful on the palate, crisp, precise fruit, juicy, lots of fine-grained tannin, long finish." Falstaff

"Smooth and sophisticated with polished tannin and a lovely seam of pure aromatics - sour cherry, subtle tobacco, and straw." Decanter

"A pure expression of Sangiovese, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Testamatta is a wine in constant evolution. Bibi has added 17 more hectares of vineyard to the program, with 12 hectares in Fiesole (north of Florence) and 5 hectares in San Donato in Colle (south of Florence) with 70-year-old vines. The base of the wine sees fruit from old vines planted in the 1950s in the cool-climate Lamole subzone of Chianti Classico. These new terroirs bring a lot more aromatic nuance and complexity to the wine with perfumed blue flower, candied orange peel, wet earth and plumy black fruit. White Alberese soils add a strong chalky mineral signature to the finish of this elegantly streamlined and linear Tuscan red." Robert Parker

"Yet another fine year, however some wines in 2019 - although not Testamatta - lacked a little concentration. Relatively light in colour, it's at the other end of the density scale to the wines of the early 2000s. There are piquant raspberry and redcurrant aromas and both the nose and palate show admirable delicacy and restraint. Very elegant and pure, its fine acidity gives excellent length and ageing potential." Decanter

"Very attractive combination of dried fruit and spices with black cherries and plums. Aromas of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full-bodied and very refined, yet intense, with plush, velvety tannins that are wonderfully integrated and intertwined with the fruit. Ripe center palate. Tight at the end, suggesting the need for some serious bottle age. Very structured. Try after 2025." James Suckling

"Twenty years in the wine business is nothing, but for me it is twenty years of my life. A life entirely dedicated to wine as a means of expression, and with the current vintage I have finally achieved the finesse I have been looking for for so long. Elegance, that is the word that describes Testamatta 2019. The 20th anniversary of Testamatta is a real milestone, the pinnacle of quality that I have been looking for in my Sangiovese since the first vintage in 2000. Testamatta 2019 is perfectly balanced with deep layers that show incredible complexity."

With these words, Bibi Graetz presented the latest vintage of his Testamatta, the fulfilment of this creative winemaker's dream. Bibi decided twenty years ago to set out from Fiesole on an extraordinary journey into the world of Tuscan wine - with the intention of striving for excellence by assembling plots of great quality, even if they are far apart. A "crazy", innovative, fascinating journey that has grown year after year.

And Testamatta means what describes this Bibi Graetz best: a smiling, creative and passionate person. The wine tells of the purity, minerality and transparency of Sangiovese from old vines and speaks of stony soils and hillside vineyards.

The grapes for Testamatta are selected and sourced from the estate's 5 best vineyards: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, divided into plots, is harvested up to 8 times to ensure that all grapes are picked at the perfect time of ripeness. These five vineyards (up to 80 years old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole and Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 metres above sea level, Vincigliata near Florence at 280 metres above sea level, Londa north of Florence towards the Rufina Valley and Siena, in the south of Tuscany, at 250 metres above sea level.

Dark red in colour with black edges and a bright red hue. The nose is perfumed, with scents of rose petals that transition into ripe red to dried cherries and red currants. This is joined by aromas of earth, light tobacco, black pepper, fresh herbs and spicy cedar. Seemingly weightless on the palate, it is then flooded with a mix of red to dark cherry and redcurrant flavours, complemented by an appealing spiciness. The complexity is complemented by spicy cedar notes, forest floor and dried herbs. Testamatta 2019 is characterised by a lovely freshness with muscular but finely drawn tannins leading into a powerful yet refined finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 20 on the label tells of the 2019 anniversary vintage for Bibi Graetz. The Testamatta consists of pure Sangiovese and has a super delicate colour. Delicate, delicate and super light, it presents itself on the nose, very fragrant and floral, with fine, spicy notes of tobacco and herbal sweets. In the bulbous Hermitage glass of the Veritas series, it smells much fresher than in a Bordeaux goblet, a little tomato sauce and broth in the background. Superfine and fragrant, it opens with Pinot-like delicacy in the mouth. Very charming and delicate, juicy and ripe, with excellent balance. The tannins are slenderly arranged and slightly rough. Complex, idiosyncratic Sangiovese that is clearly leaner than a Chianti Classico Riserva or a Brunello di Montalcino." Weinwisser

"Sparkling ruby, luminous. Intense and appealing nose with lots of ripe plums, black cherry, plus some porcini mushrooms and dark olive paste. Powerful on the palate, crisp, precise fruit, juicy, lots of fine-grained tannin, long finish." Falstaff

"Smooth and sophisticated with polished tannin and a lovely seam of pure aromatics - sour cherry, subtle tobacco, and straw." Decanter

"A pure expression of Sangiovese, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Testamatta is a wine in constant evolution. Bibi has added 17 more hectares of vineyard to the program, with 12 hectares in Fiesole (north of Florence) and 5 hectares in San Donato in Colle (south of Florence) with 70-year-old vines. The base of the wine sees fruit from old vines planted in the 1950s in the cool-climate Lamole subzone of Chianti Classico. These new terroirs bring a lot more aromatic nuance and complexity to the wine with perfumed blue flower, candied orange peel, wet earth and plumy black fruit. White Alberese soils add a strong chalky mineral signature to the finish of this elegantly streamlined and linear Tuscan red." Robert Parker

"Yet another fine year, however some wines in 2019 - although not Testamatta - lacked a little concentration. Relatively light in colour, it's at the other end of the density scale to the wines of the early 2000s. There are piquant raspberry and redcurrant aromas and both the nose and palate show admirable delicacy and restraint. Very elegant and pure, its fine acidity gives excellent length and ageing potential." Decanter

"Very attractive combination of dried fruit and spices with black cherries and plums. Aromas of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full-bodied and very refined, yet intense, with plush, velvety tannins that are wonderfully integrated and intertwined with the fruit. Ripe center palate. Tight at the end, suggesting the need for some serious bottle age. Very structured. Try after 2025." James Suckling

Bibi Graetz at the launch of the anniversary vintage: "Monumental, there is no better word to characterise this vintage of roundness in every single aspect of the wine. Colore 2019 has elegance, freshness and incredible acidity that is surprisingly noticeable on the nose and at the first sip."

From some of the oldest Sangiovese vineyards comes Colore every year, the maximum expression of Bibi Graetz's dream, The poor, sandy soils at high altitudes create the perfect terroir for a wine that can tell the true story of Tuscany and its people. The grapes for Colore were selected from sites in Lamole, Vincigliata and Siena. Each vineyard was harvested up to eight times in order to achieve the optimal ripening point for as many grapes as possible. Each plot is aged separately in barriques for almost 2 years before the final blend is decided. Only the best Sangiovese barriques from each vintage become Colore. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Colore consists of pure Sangiovese, has a light, delicate colour and reaches 14% by volume. Super fragrant and deep, the Colore shows itself in the nose with a lot of juice and finesse, as well as a fine, medicinal top note, very differentiated and finesse-rich. In the mouth, it is also a very differentiated, powerful Sangiovese with a lot of character and racy acidity. It has packed its wiry, spicy tannins into a melting richness that projects its very own character onto the palate with a lot of pressure and length. On the finish, the 2019 Colore melts away slowly and transparently with delicate, Pinot-like delicacy." Weinwisser

"Bright ruby-garnet. Opens with emphatic spicy notes, then very nice red berry fruit, lots of cherry and raspberry, in the background after coriander seed and bay leaf. On the palate nice tannin coat, silky, shows polished and fine, also compact, lots of juicy fruit, stretches wide open." Falstaff

"Dressed for a party, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Colore celebrates the estate's 20th anniversary with a special commemorative (2000-2019) bottle. This vintage of Colore is 100% Sangiovese (the small part of Colorino in the blend we saw last year has been removed) because Bibi thought the Sangiovese elegant enough to stand alone. Fruit comes from three vineyard sites with 70-, 80- and 90-year-old vines, respectively. The wine offers big intensity and beautifully lifted aromas and more textural support than we saw in the slightly thinner 2018 vintage. The bouquet reveals balsam herb, cassis, pressed rose, garden mint and crushed stone. Fruit from the southern-most site, Poggio Matto in Casciano del Murlo (in the province of Siena), was blended in at a greater percentage to help build the structure and momentum of this cellar-worthy wine." Robert Parker

"This is so perfumed and seductive, with blackberries, cherries, dried flowers and perfume. It’s full-bodied and tight with very fine tannins. Really structured and long. Superb tannin texture. So fine, yet so powerful. This is an incredible combination of fruit and structure. Old-vine magic. Drink after 2026." James Suckling

Very individualistic and quite extraordinary cuvée from Colorino, Canaiolo and Sangiovese. The bouquet is full of dark berries and the scent of elderflowers. Dense and powerful on the palate, yet slender, very clear, pithy, polished tannins and a long, full finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Powerful, with leather, plum tart, earth and tar flavors, backed by a vibrant structure. This shows heft, but a racy side lends definition to the refined finish." Wine Spectator

"I love the balance and beauty to this red with dried-strawberry, cherry and flower character. Full-bodied but reserved and polished. Ultra-fine tannins. Lively, creamy acidity. I like the volcanic salt undertone to the fruit." James Suckling

Powerful, very attractive exceptional wine. Smells of strawberry and cherry, spices and a hint of leather. Tastes juicy, very special and impresses with taut tannin and persistent length. SUPERIORE.DE

"Rich, rich ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Appealing, intense nose with notes of plums, wild raspberry, underlaid with delicate cinnamon. Lots of juicy cherry fruit on the palate, opens with fine, grippy tannin, clear and smooth, firm pressure on the final." Falstaff

"The nose shows real elegance and spice and subtle notes of dried herbs. Such firm tannins that are backed up by wonderful fresh acidity. The palate has a light peppery note and seems to glide over the palate, stopping only to tickle the roof of your mouth. Savoury and sapid, extremely impressive." Jancis Robinson

"This is suave and expands on the palate, with cherry, black currant, mineral and woodsy underbrush notes. Shows purity to the fruit, along with support from the fine-grained tannins and lively acidity. Excellent length." Wine Spectator

"A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino from three far-removed vineyard parcels in different areas of Tuscany, the 2016 Colore is something of a pan-Tuscan wine. This ambitious wine gives voice to three of the region's most important red grape varieties as well as its most diverse territories (Lamole in Chianti Classico, Vincigliata near Florence and Siena province in the southern part of Tuscany). As a result, this is a statement wine with a lot to say to those careful enough to listen. It's important to be attentive to the details, the small berry fruit aromas that intermingle with nuances of spice, granite stone and pressed blue flower. Pure summer cherry is the dominant aroma on first nose, but it slowly disintegrates as the wine takes on more air to reveal those lighter and more delicate aromas at the back. This vintage offers an ideal dose of structure matched against freshness. Bibi Graetz tells me that fruit in 2015 was beautiful, perfect to look at. Fruit in 2016, however, appeared more sculpted with more darkness and weight. On some level, those descriptions also apply to the character of these two gorgeous back-to-back vintages." Robert Parker

"The aromas are always so complex with cherries, blackberries, rosemary, sage and spice. Full-bodied, very tight and polished with a dense and powerful palate, which opens and grows, yet remains agile and beautiful. A solid red. Wonderful segue from the 2015. Try after 2022." James Suckling

Powerful, very attractive wine. Smells of strawberry and cherry, spices and a hint of leather. Tastes juicy, very special and impresses with firm tannin and persistent length. SUPERIORE.DE

"This is opulent and fresh with cedar, berry, tobacco and orange-peel aromas and flavors. Medium body, firm tannins and a flavorful finish. Precise and powerful center palate. Fabulous length." James Suckling

"With fruit from 60-year-old vines, the 2011 Colore is a precious blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino in equal parts. This is a highly singular wine made in very reduced quantities (only 2,000 bottles were produced). This mid weight expression shows a dark garnet color and moderate luminosity. That muted color is recognized across the very artisanal wines made by Bibi Graetz. The quality of fruit is bitter and raw and there is some sourness on the close. Having said that, enthusiasts will appreciate these one-off wines, especially with regards to how they relate to the strong personalities that create them. Lingering ash, smoke and dark licorice add subtle elegance on the finish." Robert Parker

Testamatta means "crazy in the head" and this name hits the nail on the head. When you know with what mad obsession Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand personality-strong results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by many years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work, until finally the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines of the rocky single vineyard Serrone were identified.

The harvest is exclusively manual and each grape is meticulously selected for its quality and degree of ripeness, which then finds its way into the wine cellar on the island. After destemming and gentle pressing under dry ice, the grapes are left to macerate for 48 hours at low temperature, then transferred unfiltered to 225l barriques for fermentation, where the wine then matures for a further 12 months.

straw yellow with golden reflections. Complex bouquet of white pineapple, apple, pear and kiwi, fine notes of mussel shell. Full-bodied, multi-layered and fleshy on the palate, always with a very precise and energetic mouthfeel, pleasant freshness and a mineral impression. Then, in the endlessly long finish, salty layers, fine, barely noticeable tannin and notes of white pepper. Rightly one of Italy's cult white wines! SUPERIORE.DE

"Sparkling, rich straw yellow. Fine and fragrant nose of mirabelle plums, camomile, some resin and light honey. Full-bodied on the palate, has good tension, nutty-creamy in the back, salty finish." Falstaff

"A solid white with dried pear, apple, cream and stone aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with a beautiful core of fruit and a steely, minerally aftertaste. Bright acidity with phenolic texture that holds the wine together nicely, giving it length and tension. Turns lightly chewy and round at the end." James Suckling