Bibi Graetz Testamatta Sangiovese Toscana 2021 750ml

Expert Review – Vintage 2021

98 Points James Suckling | Fabulous aromas of strawberries, orange zest and orange blossom. So pure on the nose. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with intense linear tannins that are ultra-fine in texture. It’s fresh and salty with a brightness and focus. Minerally and crisp. pH is 3.4 highlighting the strength of the acidity. Crunchy. Salty. So delicious now but this will age incredibly well.

96 Points The Wine Advocate | The 2021 Testamatta is Sangiovese sourced from various hilltop vineyards spanning different cool microclimates. The ideal is to underline the transparency and fragility of the variety. Fruit from the Olmo Vineyard plays a big role and gives a strong imprint to this wine, Bibi says. Testamatta offers fresh aromas of violet, rose, forest green and candied orange peel. Bibi says 2021 was generally warmer than 2020, but all three vintages2020, 2021 and 2022are considered hot. He is upbeat regarding 2023 thanks to all the rain. Testamatta shows an earthy note that gives this wine (with 120,000 bottles made) a slightly more accessible personality. The tannins are lightly managed and the oak framing is down to an elegant minimum. Bibi buys 1% new oak each year, and his oldest barrels date back to 2003. He does not pull leaves, and he employs methods that do not concentrate his fruit so he can safeguard the typicity of Sangiovese. Winemaking is as natural as possible. The beautiful results are classic and bright. He strives to keep alcohol contents below 13%.

95 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The 2021 Testamatta is entirely Sangiovese from 35- to 50-year-old vines and translates to “crazy-head.” It offers a jeweled ruby color and has a lovely bouquet on opening, with pure notes of kirsch, blood orange, dusty earth, coriander, and rose petals. It continues to the palate with a seamless feel, revealing a medium-bodied frame with fine tannins, a refreshingly weightless feel, and an elegantly long and balanced finish. Graceful and pure throughout, this lovely wine will benefit from cellaring as it matures to reveal its more tertiary and savory tones, although it sure is beautiful now.

Winemaker’s Notes | 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.