2022 Soffocone di Vincigliata, Bibi Graetz, Tuscany, Italy
Critics reviews
I have not tasted this Bibi Graetz wine since the 2014 vintage. Featuring his artwork on the front label (created when Bibi was a 23-year-old art student), the 2022 Soffocone di Vincigliata is all Sangiovese, mostly from his family's historic plots, both warm parcels and cooler parcels, near Fiesole in Vincigliata. This wine has made big improvements over the years. Showing a dark hue and extra concentration for the grape, it delivers blackberry, lead pencil and powdery tannins on the finish. It ages in oak for 18 months in Bibi's crazy hotel-turned-winery facility, but only 0.5% of the oak is new. The rest of the barrels are 20 years old or more. Bibi seeks oxygen exchange, and he vinifies his parcels separately. I asked him about coopers, but he says he is less interested in brands and uses a mix of barrels from all over.
Bibi Graetz is reducing his production numbers, going from 500,000 bottles produced in 2013 to less than half that number in recent years. His top-shelf Colore has been reduced from 50,000 bottles in 2020 to only 15,000 bottles now, with fruit sourced from two vineyard sites. He is committed to adopting what he calls "a more selective approach." As someone who has studied his portfolio for many years, I still have concerns over the ever-changing wines and the introduction of new products (and the removal of others), which could cause confusion among consumers. As Bibi's new vineyard sites in Fiesole become mature, the portfolio will also consolidate.
Drink 2024 - 2033
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (July 2024)
Blueberries, minerals, violets and hints of graphite. Medium-bodied with very well-integrated tannins that give presence and beauty to it. Succulent and juicy. Polished, savory tannins add to the pleasure. Bright acidity, too. Drinkable now, but even better in a year or two.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (July 2024)
About this WINE
Bibi Graetz
Bibi Graetz founded his eponymous Tuscan winery in 2000. Born in Florence, Bibi comes from a family of artists. Bibi himself studied art before pursuing wine as a full-time endeavour. He still paints sometimes, notably for the striking labels of his wines including Colore and Testamatta. The operation is based out of a disused hotel, the Aurora, in the town of Fiesole which lies in the hills above Florence.
Working with his own estate vineyards as well as fruit sourced from other growers, Bibi describes his model as “Californian”. His white wines Colore Bianco and Testamatta Bianco come from fruit grown on the island of Giglio, around eight miles from the Tuscan coast. Both wines are produced from the Ansonica grape; the island is home to a stock of old vines, some up to 100 years old.
For his reds, he works with 100% Sangiovese fruit from a selection of vineyards in the hilly area best known for Chianti – though Bibi uses the Toscana IGT designation for his wines. Colore is now produced exclusively from old vines, at least 80 years old for the 2021 vintage. Bibi now makes Testamatta only from north-facing slopes.
IGT Tuscany
IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) Tuscany is a wine classification from Italy's Tuscany region. It is one of the official wine classifications recognized by the Italian government. IGT is a step below the highest classification, DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), and above the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) level.
The IGT classification was introduced in 1992 to allow winemakers more flexibility in grape varieties and employ winemaking techniques while still ensuring a certain level of quality and geographical indication. This classification gives winemakers more freedom to experiment and innovate, deviating from the strict regulations of the DOC and DOCG classifications.
IGT Tuscany wines can be produced throughout the entire region of Tuscany, encompassing various sub-regions and terroirs within the area. This classification allows winemakers to use traditional Tuscan grape varieties, such as Sangiovese, and non-traditional grape varieties, including international ones like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and others.
The IGT Tuscany classification gives winemakers the flexibility to create wines that showcase the unique characteristics of their specific vineyards and winemaking styles. It allows for experimentation with blending different grape varieties, using innovative winemaking techniques, and exploring new regional vineyard sites.
IGT Tuscany wines can vary greatly, from traditional and terroir-driven expressions to more modern and international styles. This classification has played a significant role in developing Super Tuscan wines, often IGT designated and known for their high quality and international recognition.
Overall, IGT Tuscany provides a platform for winemakers in the region to express their creativity and produce wines that reflect their unique vision while maintaining a connection to the rich heritage and traditions of winemaking in Tuscany.
Sangiovese
A black grape widely grown in Central Italy and the main component of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as being the sole permitted grape for the famed Brunello di Montalcino.
It is a high yielding, late ripening grape that performs best on well-drained calcareous soils on south-facing hillsides. For years it was blighted by poor clonal selection and massive overcropping - however since the 1980s the quality of Sangiovese-based wines has rocketed upwards and they are now some of the most sought after in the world.
It produces wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, though not always with great depth of colour, and its character can vary from farmyard/leather nuances through to essence of red cherries and plums. In the 1960s the advent of Super Tuscans saw bottlings of 100% Sangiovese wines, as well as the introduction of Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blends, the most famous being Tignanello.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Soffocone is a very special wine from the Bibi Graetz stable: an ode to Sangiovese and the single vineyard it hails from. Vincigliata’s vineyard is surrounded by a forest with 70-year-old vines, rich Galestro soils, and a south/south-westerly exposure. Each component is integral to bringing forth the gleaming elegance in the final wine.
The palate swells with sweet red cherry, vibrant pomegranate, blood orange, and an earthy complexity. There are notes of sweet spice and vanilla, thanks to the 18 months spent in old, 30hl wooden casks. This has all the joy and playful energy of Bibi’s Casamatta range but with a more serious edge and the promise of great cellaring.
Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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