2016 Bibi Graetz 'Colore' Toscana

Winemaker Notes: After the magnificent 2015 vintage, winemaker, Bibi Graetz, couldn’t believe that the quality of 2016 was even higher! Walking in the vineyards during the harvest he had the impression of being in the middle of hundreds of bronze sculptures, the grapes looked like perfect artifacts. He's not surprised by the result of the wine,powerful, with a lot of tension and a solid structure. Full bodied and dense this Colore has a lot of blackberries, tobacco and plum. Blend: 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10% Colorino.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

James Suckling - "Floral and perfumed with wonderful firmness and brightness. Mushroom and wet earth. Full-bodied with firm, linear tannins. Long and focused. Racy and refined. Iron and dried mushroom. Drink or hold."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "A blend of Sangiovese (at about 80% of the mix), Canaiolo and Colorino from three far-removed vineyard parcels in different areas of Tuscany, the 2016 Colore is something of a pan-Tuscan wine. This ambitious wine gives voice to three of the region's most important red grape varieties as well as its most diverse territories (Lamole in Chianti Classico, Vincigliata near Florence and Siena province in the southern part of Tuscany). As a result, this is a statement wine with a lot to say to those careful enough to listen. It's important to be attentive to the details, the small berry fruit aromas that intermingle with nuances of spice, granite stone and pressed blue flower. Pure summer cherry is the dominant aroma on first nose, but it slowly disintegrates as the wine takes on more air to reveal those lighter and more delicate aromas at the back. This vintage offers an ideal dose of structure matched against freshness. Bibi Graetz tells me that fruit in 2015 was beautiful, perfect to look at. Fruit in 2016, however, appeared more sculpted with more darkness and weight. On some level, those descriptions also apply to the character of these two gorgeous back-to-back vintages. Rating: 96+"


Wine Spectator - "This is suave and expands on the palate, with cherry, black currant, mineral and woodsy underbrush notes. Shows purity to the fruit, along with support from the fine-grained tannins and lively acidity. Excellent length. Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino. Drink now through 2029."