The 2020 Testamatta from Bibi Graetz is a 100% Sangiovese Supertuscan sourced from old and new vines across the Tuscan hills, including a new property near Fiesole. This vintage emphasizes freshness, transparency, and elegance, with lifted aromas of sour cherries, orange peel, and lemon bush, along with dusty red and black cherry notes, hints of balsam, and chocolate. Medium-bodied, with firm, racy acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a long, persistent finish, it expresses minerality, purity, and the vibrancy of Tuscany Sangiovese.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Jun 30, 2022
Drink: 2023-2043

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.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 94
Published: Jul 15, 2022

Beautiful, fresh aromas of sour cherries, orange peel and lemon bush. Medium-bodied with firm, racy acidity and ultra-fine tannins that add brightness and energy to the wine. This is definitely following the new wave of crunchy, vivid Tuscany sangioveses, which emphasize drinkability and transparency. Lighter than past vintages. Drink now or hold.

Decanter | D 94
Published: Oct 3, 2023
Drink: 2024-2038

The addition of a further 12ha of vines – the first instance of owned rather than leased vineyards for Bibi Graetz – saw production in 2020 leap to around 150,000 bottles, and the wine was made in the new winery in Fiesole too. However, Bibi explains that 2020 was ‘not an easy vintage...the first of three hot vintages‘. It has a darker character than the 2015, with dusty red and black cherry aromas and hints of balsam and chocolate. Creamy, velvety and vertical with a lovely cherry character and an earthy background, it has plenty of freshness working the sides of the cheeks, but needs more time to uncoil.

Bibigraetz.com

The 'Crazy-head' "Testamatta crazy-head in Italian - is the best word to describe Bibi Graetz: a positive, creative and passionate person. Testamatta wine expresses the purity, minerality and transparency of Sangiovese from old vines on the top of the hills characterized by soils rich of stones. A Supertuscan made with 100% Sangiovese, result of the combination of tradition and creativity.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Sangiovese 100% The elegance of Sangiovese variety is always the main character of Testamatta wine. This vintage shows how Sangiovese can be fresh, fruity on one hand, elegant, long and persistent on the other. 2018 is rich of blackberries and blueberries, earthy hints, light mineral undertone. It has a pronounced intensity accompanied by silky and important tannins that give to the wine a long aftertaste. This Testamatta is persistent and rich of finesse, one of the greatest I have ever made. Bibi Graetz Vintage 2018: the growing season Balance and harmony are the best words to describe 2018 vintage in Tuscany. The seasons were mild and stable, this led to a full vegetative development with light advance and to a superb vintage in terms of quality of the berries. The summer had been great characterized by excellent sun exposure during day and refreshing nights. We started the harvest at the end of September and concluded it during the mid of October. Vinification and Ageing Testamatta grapes are selected and sourced from the best 5 vineyards of the winery: Vincigliata, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena. Each vineyard, divided in parcels, is harvested up to 8 times, making sure all the grapes are picked at the perfect ripening point. The 5 old-age vineyards, (up to 80 yrs old) are located in different areas of Tuscany: Lamole & Montefili in the heart of Chianti Classico at 600 and 400 meters altitude, Vincigliata nearby Firenze at 280 meters altitude, Londa at north of Firenze, towards the Rufina valley and Siena in the south of Tuscany at 250 meters altitude. The hand-picked grapes, selected in the vineyards firstly and later for the second time at the winery, are destemmed and then soft pressed. The fermentations are conducted by natural and indigenous yeasts, in open top barriques (225L) without any temperature control and 'bleedings' neither, with 6 manual punch-down per day. After 7-10 days of maceration, the different parcels are moved into old barriques for 22 months.

Vincigliata, Olmo, Londa, Lamole, Montefili and Siena vineyards
100% Sangiovese
35-50 years old vines
Medium mixture soil rich of galestro and clay
Goblet and Guyot
Natural fermentation in open top barrels
6-8 manual punch-down per day
20 months of aging