2020 Bibi Graetz Testamatta

Normal Retail Price: $100
Our Brave New World Pricing:  $69.99
with shipping included on 4 bottles or more

The notorious Tuscan Artist-Winemaker Bibi Graetz makes some incredible wines- wines known worldwide for their flair, personality and class.  His farms his excellent old vine Sangiovese, Colorino and Canaiolo grapes high atop a bluff affording one both a stunning view of the Firenze duomo and access to the cooler breezes from the ocean that help temper the torrid temperatures of the vast city just below.  He farms obsessively and harvests and sorts virtually grape by grape and applies the same meticulous approach in the cellar.  His are, to a wine, very impressive reflections not only of the unique terroirs he farmes but also his strong vision of what his wines should be.  Bibi’s tete de cuvee, the wine he calls his ultimate achievement, is the cult-like Testamatta Rosso, a 100% Sangiovese aged in small wood barrels.  Sort of a super-charged version of a modern Reserva Gran Selezione Chianti, Testamatta is assembled from several sites but basically grown on rockier soils than the gallestro clay that dominates the center of the Chianti Classico region.  These endow his wines with more crunch, clearly defined lifted aromatics and better structure.  Quite dark for Sangiovese, its dusky, brooding personality carries over onto an expansive palate of black cherries, licorice, toasted bread and cloves-cardamom with some new oak providing a nice roundness followed by a welcome splash of vanilla extract. There is amazing depth and complexity here as well as a fiery, untamed character that really helps it stand out from the crowd.  Unique, for sure, but still eminently Tuscan at its heart, featuring the Testamatta Rosso from Bibi Graetz takes us back some twenty years or to when Bibi’s wines first took the marketplace by storm.  We had so much fun sharing the wines with our retail customers and with PRIMA Ristorante diners, especially watching our Sommelier at the time, J.D. Massler, recommend the wine to everyone within earshot.  Chef Peter loved to pair it with, obviously, a Tuscan bistecca Fiorentina, his short rib ravioli in sage butter, the tagliatelle and Emilian meat sauce or, after dinner, an aged dry cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano. We hope you enjoy meeting our ‘old friend’, as it were, as you savor the richness of the 2020 Testamatta Rosso.  The Brave New World pricing is a nice surprise too! 

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"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." - Georgina Hindle (Aug 2022) 97 Points - Decanter Magazine

"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. - Monica Larner (Jun 2022)  95 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate:

"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. (Jul 2022) 94 Points - James Suckling

"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." - Eric Guido (Feb 2023) 94 Points - Vinous Media

"Scorched earth and pure sun-ripened fruit are at the forefront of the 2020 Testamatta, with ripe red cherry, tarragon, and toasted cedar. Medium bodied, with a mineral and lifted texture, it offers fine tannins and a citrus tinged finish. A razor edge of acidity drives the wine forward and creates a linear feel. It will certainly benefit for more time in bottle to ease into its full potential and can be enjoyed over the next 15 or so years." - Audrey Frick (Jan 2023) 93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

"The subtle nose on this wine releases oak notes first, then cherries, soy sauce, herbs, pencil shavings and eraser, and finally a little orange peel. Graphite and soil come through on the palate alongside more cherries, orange and dried herbs. Tannins hold their shape but let the fruit speak, while acid cuts right down the tongue." - Danielle Callegari (Apr 2023) 93 Points - Wine Enthusiast