Bibi Graetz - Testamatta - Toscana IGT 2022
Bibi Graetz, the sangiovese in all its glory
In the two decades since his first vintage release, Bibi Graetz has emerged as one of the brightest stars in Tuscan winemaking, largely due to the exceptional quality of his pure Sangiovese wines. Bibi Graetz relies on old vines, which give his finest reds remarkable depth and soul. The red grapes are cultivated on the hillsides above Florence and sourced from some of the most prestigious sites in the Chianti Classico region, including Montefili and Lamole.
Testamatta, which means “crazy-head” in Italian, perfectly captures the essence of Bibi Graetz—a positive, creative, and passionate individual. Testamatta wine expresses the purity, minerality, and transparency of Sangiovese from old vines on hilltops characterized by stone-rich soils. It’s a Super Tuscan made with 100% Sangiovese, a result of the perfect blend of tradition and creativity.
The 2022 Vintage:
In 2022, while average temperatures were lower than the previous year, there were significant heat peaks, especially in summer. However, the higher altitude of the vineyards and constant winds prevented issues like water or heat stress, resulting in a healthy crop both in quality and quantity. The longer and well-balanced grape maturation produced exceptionally elegant wines with medium acidity and perfect balance.
The 2022 vintage is truly exceptional. In his relentless pursuit of excellence, Bibi Graetz reevaluated everything he had done before and decided to implement an even stricter selection of the grapes. As a result, both Colore and Testamatta are the purest expression of the very heart of Bibi Graetz’s vineyard.
Tasting notes:
“My idea of Testamatta is to create a wine from the vineyards in the highest altitudes, in the windiest places. In 2022 I wanted to exclude the vineyards that do not emphasize fully all typical aspects of Sangiovese, like red berries, strawberry, cherry, raspberry, incredible freshness and notable acidity. These characteristics make this variety unique. Therefore I decided to reduce the production to focus only on these vineyards, and I am beyond thrilled because I have never made a Testamatta like this!”
Bibi Graetz