It is now 20 years since Bibi Graetz, a young dreamer who lived in a family of artists, founded his winery, in 2000, on the hill of Fiesole (Florence), driven by love for the world of wine. The aspects that fascinated him most, from the beginning, were the ability of the old vineyards to give the wines produced by them great finesse and elegance, and the enhancement of indigenous varieties (such as Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino), produced by those vineyards. Driven by this passion, Bibi began to buy plots of land in Panzano and Greve (in Chianti Classico) and on Isola del Giglio, until he came to own one of the largest old vineyards ranges in Tuscany.
The viticulture currently practiced by the winery is inspired by natural principles, with the complete abandonment of any form of chemical intervention in the vineyard. The white wines are obtained from the grapes Isola del Giglio, born on plants that grow a few meters from the sea, on sandy, granite and rocky soils, with an excellent minerality.
From pure Ansonica grapes, from 120 years old vines of Serrone vineyard (the best of the island, overlooking the sea) comes this Testamatta wine, a genuine single vineyard selection. The grapes are carefully hand-picked (and it couldn’t be otherwise, because of the terraces steepness) according to ancient techniques transmitted to Bibi by the old island’s farmers. After a careful selection in the Giglio Castello cellar (in the center of the island), the grapes are destemmed and gently pressed, then, with the addition of dry ice, are briefly left in contact with the skins. The subsequent 48 hours must maceration is followed by fermentation and, therefore, by one year’s barriques aging, without malolactic fermentation.
This 2018 vintage, straw-yellow in colour with golden reflections, opens up to the nose with initial hints of fresh grass, iodine and crunchy yellow peach, followed by pink grapefruit, pineapple and chamomile, with echoes of medicinal herbs. The mouthfeel is fresh and elegant, with a centre of the palate in which the most iodine and mineral notes stand out, giving way, in the finish, to a slightly almond note.
Rating: 90/100
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