Wine Advisor
Bibi Graetz, Colore 2019
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Description
Colore is the highest expression of Bibi Graetz dream, from very old vineyards of Sangiovese. Poor soils mixed with sand and stone and high altitude create the perfect terroir for a wine that tells a lot about Tuscany and its ancient taste. Only the best few barrels of the whole production will become Colore.
2019 is 20th Anniversary vintage of Bibi Graetz. 20 harvests of Colore, 20 harvests of Testamatta, 20 harvests of Bibi Graetz. Colore 2019 celebrates the 20th anniversary of Bibi Graetz. It has been a great journey since 2000, full of satisfaction and now the circle is finally closed, Bibi reached the elegance he was looking for a long time. “Monumental, there is no better word to describe this vintage. Roundness in every single aspect of the wine: elegance, freshness and great acidy that gives very fine layers surprisingly detectable on the nose and at the first sip. Colore 2019 celebrates my 20th anniversary as a winemaker. It has been a great journey since 2000, full of satisfactions and now with this vintage I finally close the circle. My wines at the beginning were looking for structure and concentration, in 2009 I realized that “elegance” should have been the main drive. In 2019 I did it!” -- Bibi Graetz Vintage 2019 provided the best conditions for a full and healthy development of the plants. During the spring, the limited quantity of the rain prevented the onset of illnesses. The summer was characterized by a good thermal excursion between day and night with a very “smooth” climate which gave the possibility to the grapes to ripen slowly and completely. The result was that the grapes had the perfect quantity of sugar and acidity with an incredible aromatic texture. The harvest started on September 21th and ended the 8th of October.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Dressed for a party, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Colore celebrates the estate's 20th anniversary with a special commemorative (2000-2019) bottle. This vintage of Colore is 100% Sangiovese (the small part of Colorino in the blend we saw last year has been removed) because Bibi thought the Sangiovese elegant enough to stand alone. Fruit comes from three vineyard sites with 70-, 80- and 90-year-old vines, respectively. The wine offers big intensity and beautifully lifted aromas and more textural support than we saw in the slightly thinner 2018 vintage. The bouquet reveals balsam herb, cassis, pressed rose, garden mint and crushed stone. Fruit from the southern-most site, Poggio Matto in Casciano del Murlo (in the province of Siena), was blended in at a greater percentage to help build the structure and momentum of this cellar-worthy wine.
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
Sweet spices, autumnal leaves, wild strawberries and white smoke hints make the 2019 Colore a total pleasure on the nose. This is wildly energetic and spry with tart wild berries accelerated by zesty acidity. Its fruits are crisp and pure, driven by saline minerality and exotic spices. The 2019 finishes lightly structured and buzzing with residual tension as licorice and balsamic tones slowly fade. This is a radiant beauty and nearly unrecognizable from the old, large-scale stylings of Bibi Graetz. Well done.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
This year saw larger yields and bigger production overall. The Bibi Graetz 2019 Colore offers soft mineral notes and pretty fruit tones with violet and lilac at the back. This vintage not only delivered more in terms of quantity, but it also gives a lot in terms of flavor intensity and fruit weight. It is naturally concentrated and rich with tannins that have an elegantly chalky element. The 2019 is undergoing a very positive bottle evolution.
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
Sweet spices, autumnal leaves, wild strawberries and white smoke hints make the 2019 Colore a total pleasure on the nose. This is wildly energetic and spry with tart wild berries accelerated by zesty acidity. Its fruits are crisp and pure, driven by saline minerality and exotic spices. The 2019 finishes lightly structured and buzzing with residual tension as licorice and balsamic tones slowly fade. This is a radiant beauty and nearly unrecognizable from the old, large-scale stylings of Bibi Graetz. Well done.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is so perfumed and seductive, with blackberries, cherries, dried flowers and perfume. It’s full-bodied and tight with very fine tannins. Really structured and long. Superb tannin texture. So fine, yet so powerful. This is an incredible combination of fruit and structure. Old-vine magic. Drink after 2026.
About the Producer
Bibi Graetz is one of the best wine producers in Tuscany, which has become famous for its Soffocone di Vincigliata, Colore, Testamatta Rosso and Bianco wines. Its grapes come from vines of about 80 years of age, the autochthonous: Sangiovese, Colorino and Cannaiolo. The Bibi Graetz estate is located in Vincigliata, a small village behind the Fiesole hill.
