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Bibi Graetz - Colore 2021

Producer
Bibi Graetz
Blend
66% Canaiolo and Colorino
34% Sangiovese
Country
Italy
Region
Tuscany
UPC
844962000063
Red Wine
Verified Stock
83552-21/3PK
Product Ratings
Wine Enthusiast 96pt

The nose asserts aromas of dark fruit and berries, with rubbery, slightly smoky notes drifting around the edges. A juicier, denser berry streak defines the satiny palate, while bitter undertones of orange and chocolate provide structure. Firm, taut tannins emerge on a warm finish.

by Wine Enthusiast, 2024
James Suckling 99pt

Intense aromas of purple fruits such as raspberry, spice, lead pencil and granite. Perfumed flowers as well. Full-bodied, tight with poised tannins that show transparency and focus. Crunchy and very long. Better after 2028 when it opens and integrates beautifully.

by James Suckling, 2023
Wine Advocate 98+pt

The Bibi Graetz 2021 Colore is Sangiovese from old vines, but otherwise, winemaking and the oak regime is identical to the other top red, Testamatta. In this case, fruit comes from the Lamole area with vineyards at a high 600 meters above sea level. Some are south-facing but high up on the mountain. As Bibi explains: Colore delivers power and freshness, whereas Testamatta delivers transparency and freshness." The Colore shows the pure energy and liveliness of Sangiovese with violet, wild cherry and orange zest. The wine delivers an elegantly earthy side with a very delineated mouthfeel driven by very fine, silly tannins. This is a beautiful wine with delicately sweet cherry on the finish. Bibi has been making little changes to this wine over the years (other than giving it a new winery home in Fiesole) to capture an ideal or benchmark for Sangiovese. His 2021 is his best wine yet. Production is 35,000 bottles, which is slightly lower compared to the last vintage."

by Wine Advocate, 2023
Wine Spectator 95pt

Pure and elegant, offering a beam of cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, rose and mineral aromas and flavors. This harmonious version builds in intensity to the long, fruit-filled finish, where a hint of blood orange peeks through. Sangiovese.

by Wine Spectator, 2024

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

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.

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.