Reviews
James Suckling 98
The subtlety and perfumed nature of this wine is enchanting, offering flowers, orange peel and cherries. Wonderful ripe strawberries, too. Full-bodied, but not over the top, with tannins that are polished and run the length of the wine. It's tight, but gives you every indication of a terrific wine. You want to drink it now, and you probably should do, because it's so alluring. Yet it will age beautifully as well. Drink or hold.
by JS, James Suckling , 2022
Robert Parker 96
The Bibi Graetz 2020 Colore is a pure expression of Sangiovese all sourced from old vines that are carefully selected in various parts of Tuscany. Much of the fruit comes from a high elevation and cool site in Lamole, or from 70-year-old vines in Bagno a Ripoli or Vincigliata near Fiesole. A small percentage of old vines in Olmo is also used. Bibi has a preference for old vines, and you can taste the lovely depth and complexity that comes through in the Colore. Compared to his other wine Testamatta, this wine has seen fewer stylistic changes over the years, and the goal has always been elegance and finesse. Colore boasts a pretty luminous quality with dark fruit aromas and wild berry. There are hints of licorice and mint as well. Mineral flavors and bright acidity are what set Colore apart.
by ML, Robert Parker , 2022
Technical Details
Description
Colore is the highest expression of Bibi Graetz dream. The drive of this wine is to create a pure excellence of Tuscany, a wine made with traditional Tuscan grapes sourced from some of the oldest and rarest vineyards of the region. Sangiovese represent the structure and the power of the wine, Colorino fruits and velvety tannins, Canaiolo minerality and intensity. On the best few barrels of the whole production will become Colore.
Estate
From a medieval castle, Castello di Vincigliata, acquired by his parents over 60 years ago, winemaker Bibi Graetz crafts his wines on a hillside overlooking the great city of Florence. Beginning initially with only a small, 5-acre vineyard on this hillside in Fiesole, in little under two decades, Bibi has become one of Italy's most ingenious winemakers adding "cult winemaker" in addition to "talented abstract artist" to his dossier.
Since the release of his first wines in 2000 and without any formal training, Bibi Graetz has managed to stir-up the Tuscan wine scene, and with the creation of Testamatta and Colore, has made his name eponymous with great Tuscan wines. Regularly scoring in the high 90’s with wine publications like Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, and James Suckling, coupled with his unique and artisanal winemaking approach, Bibi Graetz’s wines have garnered a loyal following among wine collectors and wine trade.
Tasting notes
“This vintage was able to bring Sangiovese to one of the haughtiest expressions of power. The structure of the wine results warm, rich and concentrated without losing the polish elegance of the tannins. Compared to other vintages this will result very generous, opening the nose with mature red fruits followed by tobacco and plum. this has been a benchmark for my personal experience with Tuscan grapes” Bibi Graetz, winemaker & owner
Vinification
After the first selection of grapes in the vineyards, a second selection occurs at the winery before the destemming. The berries were at this stage softly pressed and placed in open-top barriques, with extreme attention on keeping each plot and parcel divided from the others. The fermentation is conducted by indigenous yeasts naturally with 6 to 8 manual punch downs per day, without temperature control and without bleedings, and lasted up to 2 weeks, with 1 extra week of maceration on the skins. After the fermentation the wine is moved into new barriques, where the malolactic fermentation happens. Every parcel is aged separately for almost 3 years before the final blend is decided.