Bibi Graetz - Testamatta Toscana IGT 2020
Price: $100.00
Sale Price: $59.99
| Producer | Bibi Graetz |
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| Country | Italy |
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| Region | Toscana |
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| Subregion | Toscana IGT |
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| Varietal | Sangiovese |
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| Vintage | 2020 |
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| Sku | 35374 |
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Decanter Magazine: 97 Points
Wild roses and wild strawberries, the nose has a lovely fragrance and expression. Lifted and bright, this has such a beautiful delicacy to it, a creamy, chalkiness comes from the fine tannins with bright, succulent strawberry and raspberry leaf elements. You feel the savoury side too, the sweet vanilla spice and dried herb aspect which counter the fruit and the high acidity. I adore the finesse here, the sharp fruit giving the energy and the chalky texture giving the layers. Feels well controlled, powerful yet delivered with poise. It doesn't have so much overt weight, it's definitely more ethereal in terms of density, but the nuance of flavour is thrillingly captivating and this has a long lifted finish. A contemplative wine that keeps you wanting more and more. Made in new winery facilities in Fiesole. Grapes were picked from the best six vineyards; Vincigliata, Olmo, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena with each divided into parcels and harvested up to eight times to get the perfect ripening points. Natural and indigenous fermentation in open top barriques (225l) for smaller parcels and 50hl cask or stainless steel tanks for larger plots. After 7-10 days of maceration, the parcels are moved into old barriques and 50hl casks for 20 months. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2045
Wine Advocate: 95 Points
Bibi Graetz has long been tinkering with his formula for this wine, and this vintage represents a new chapter. The 2020 Testamatta is a blend of Sangiovese from old and new vines, with a priority on cooler growing conditions (and even a few northern exposures). In the wake of climate change, and in the pursuit of elegance, Bibi is changing his approach. He also has a new vineyard property near Fiesole, and the introduction of these grapes (from a breezy, high-elevation site) are what gives Testamatta its beautiful clarity, sharpness and lifted bouquet. The new Fiesole fruit makes up about 30% to 35% of this wine. The results are vibrant, transparent and fresh both in terms of acidity and aromatic intensity. This is a wine in transformation and a wine to watch. Drink Date: 2023 – 2043
Vinous: 94 Points
Dusty, floral and lifted with flinty crushed stone, peppery herbs and tart raspberry, the 2020 Rosso Testamatta makes itself known in the glass. This is finessed and pure in style, combining bright acidity and minerals with wild strawberry fruit, all carried across seamlessly silky textures. While structured, the 2020 leaves the palate completely refreshed as a web of fine-grained tannins frames pretty rose and sweet spice nuances. What a darling. I expect that bottle age will bring more flesh to the palate, but even without it, the 2020 Testamatta, a varietal Sangiovese, is gorgeous. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2035.
I was very impressed by the 2020s from Bibi Graetz. Instead of relying solely on power, the wines have a clarity and precision that is seldom seen. What’s more, they are balanced enough for long-term maturation that will surely provide fantastic results. The old-vines Colore, with some vines in Lamole reaching up to 135 years old, is deeply inward and youthfully coy yet bursting at the seams and just waiting to emerge deeper and more sensual over time. While the flagship Testamatta, which now contains fruit from a new 12-hectare vineyard in Olmo at 420 meters, is simply stunning. Tasting this wine today is already a pleasure for its freshness and delicacy, yet there’s so much going on beneath the surface that only maturity will reveal.
