Bibi Graetz, Testamatta Rossa, Toscana 2021

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.

Beautifully fragrant on the nose, delicately scented and inviting with subtle wild flower scents, red and black berries and sweet spices. Chalky and powdery tannins support super bright acidity which gives this such a sharp, thrilling and lively expression. Tannins are super fine but have a spiced edge that grips and holds interest, supportive but not overpowering, letting the acidity and bright fruit flavours shine through. Beautifully delineated and expressed, elegant, refined, totally beguiling yet with layers of flavour and intensity and such a long finish. Feels supremely drinkable and that is such a feat at this young stage. Well worked, balanced, and enjoyable with flashes of heat and spice dotting the finish. Really wonderful and totally charming.

Jewel-llike vivid ruby, captivating waves of raspberry, red cherry, finely boned tannins, carefully constructed with flinty edges of crayon, liqourice, slow build, generous and yet reserved. Love the sculpting of this wine, it's just so impressive. From estate-owned plots across Tuscany where the vines range from 5 years old up to 80 years old from 400m to 600m altitude. Natural yeasts, six manual punch downs per day, 10 days maceration maximum and barrel ageing with no new oak.

The 2021 Testamatta, 100% Sangiovese, is pale to medium garnet-purple in color. It slowly unfurls to offer fragrant notes of kirsch, redcurrant jelly, and black raspberries, followed by suggestions of iron ore, rose oil, and tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate has a firm, chewy texture with a refreshing line supporting the intense red berry and savory layers, finishing long and minerally. This is beautiful!

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. Drink 2025-2040.

From a vintage I really love comes the Bibi Graetz 2021 Testamatta. This wine has dark fruit, cherry, powdered chocolate and chalky mineral. This vintage represents a turning point for this eccentric vintner who decided to change styles and focus on the red fruits and high notes. Nonetheless, this wine delivers good freshness and balance, and I like it better than the 2020 vintage that Bibi himself prefers. To me, the 2021 has more vertical freshness. This is a release of 120,000 bottles.