2023 Testamatta
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Rosso Testamatta is tightly coiled in its youthful state. Coaxing reveals layers of dried strawberry complicated by autumnal spices, worn leather and dusty rose. It washes across the palate with velvety textures guided by racy acidity, coming across as weighty yet fresh and lively as ripe red and black fruits saturate the senses. The 2023 finishes dramatically long and intense, with a tart berry resonance and a saturation of fine tannins. The balance here is remarkable, especially for the vintage. I expect the 2023 to have a long and glorious evolution in bottle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Bibi Graetz concluded this vintage with less collateral damage than many other vintners in Tuscany, who saw big drops in yields because of rain and mildew. He says he only lost 10% of his fruit. The 2023 Testamatta is Sangiovese with a tiny part of whole-cluster fruit. The wine is a little shy and closed on first examination, but it does reveal red and purple fruits with cassis and plum. It shows good freshness and fine tannins. You need to give it more time to flesh out with bottle age.
100% Sangiovese. Cooler on average than 2022 but with higher heat peaks. Thanks to the elevation of the vineyards there were no problems with heat stress, and production ‘was good in both qualitative and quantitative terms.’ Harvest 15 September. Indigenous-yeast fermentation in open-top 225-litre barriques for the smaller parcels of the vineyards, and in stainless-steel tanks for the larger plots. Aged for 18 months in used barriques and 50-hl casks. Transparent cherry red – a bit deeper-coloured than Colore 2023. Much more intense nose and fruit, though arguably no more fun. A longer-term prospect? Drying finish and slightly burnt sensation. (JR)
What's not to love about this wine? Fragrant, gripping, welcoming, mouthwatering, with rose petals and raspberries that expand through the palate, with touches of incense, sage, white pepper, totally delicious and a perfect example of what joy Sangiovese can bring. Bibi Graetz owner and winemaker, this is a fabulous vintage of Testamatta. Tasted twice.
About the producer
Based just outside Florence, Bibi Graetz is something of a maverick in the Tuscan wine scene. Working with old vineyards of indigenous grapes around Chianti, he produces intense wines classified as IGT Toscana; not fitting neatly in either the Super Tuscan or Chianti camp.