2018 Bibi Graetz Colore, Tuscany

What intense aromas of cherries and raspberries! Then it turns to flowers and orange peel. Roses, too. This is really full and powerful with layers of ripe tannins. It’s super fine-tannined, but shows wonderful length and intensity. A great expression of Lamole in Chianti Classico with ancient vines. Some older than 100 years. Best ever? Superb. Try after 2024 and onwards.
 
99 points James Suckling jamessuckling.com
 
A great wine made with 90% Sangiovese, and 5% each of Canaiolo and Colorino, all very old vines. It shows a distinct ruby colour and slightly garnet hue. Initially closed, the nose opens up slowly displaying well concentrated and balanced fruit, reminiscent of ripe plums and blackberries, hints of gingerbread spices and macchia in the background. On the palate well-structured with multi-layered fruit repeating the aroma of the nose, elegant spiciness and hints of earthy minerality as well as convincing aromatic depth. A well balanced blend with power and concentration, never loosing its elegance and freshness. Another great vintage of Colore.
 
99 points Markus Del Monego MW

Compared to the Testamatta that proved more difficult during the blending phase, Bibi Graetz's 2018 Colore came together without a hitch, as he tells it. With this vintage, the Colore (with 9,000 bottles produced) has almost become a single-vineyard wine, since up to 90% of its fruit comes from old vines (these are majestic plants from 80 to 135 years old) in the high-altitude Lamole area where Bibi farms five hectares. The addition of Colorino to this Sangiovese-based wine has been reduced to a mere 5% in this vintage: "Just like a touch of lipstick," Bibi says. The Colorino grape adds noticeable lift and buoyancy in this vintage. Next to the Testamatta, you get more structure and backbone here, with deep and penetrating red berry fruit, ruby cherry, crushed aspirin, ferrous earth, crushed flowers and some of the fragrant steeping herbs used in Fernet-Branca.
My only hesitation is that the wine takes long to yield on the bouquet, and I coaxed two bottles of Colore over two days before writing this note. As a result, I recommend pushing the drinking window forward by a few extra years to give the wine time to flesh out and open fully.
 
97 points Monica Larner robertparker.com 

2018 Bibi Graetz Colore is one of the most profound and emotionally charged expressions of Sangiovese produced in modern Tuscany. This is Colore in a year that delivered both generosity and precision, a wine that feels powerful, detailed and almost architectural in its structure. Production is tiny, demand is global, and bottles are firmly in collector territory.

The fruit comes exclusively from some of Tuscany’s oldest and most treasured Sangiovese vines, many between 70 and well over 100 years of age. These vineyards are scattered across high altitude sites such as Lamole, Vincigliata and the hills around Siena. Poor, rocky soils and deep rooted old vines naturally restrict yields, concentrating flavour while preserving freshness and mineral tension. The 2018 vintage offered a slightly cooler, more classical profile than some surrounding years, allowing these ancient sites to express perfume, energy and finesse alongside depth.

Bibi Graetz treats Colore as his purest artistic statement. An artist by training, he approaches winemaking instinctively, stripping away anything that might blur the voice of the vineyard. Fermentations are natural, extraction is extremely gentle, and ageing takes place primarily in large old oak and concrete. There is no make up here, no oak gloss, no attempt to soften edges. Only the most exceptional barrels are selected, making production ruthlessly small.

Aromatically, the wine is intense yet incredibly refined. Sour cherry, wild strawberry and redcurrant form the core, lifted by rose petal, dried violets and blood orange peel. With air, deeper layers emerge. Crushed stone, iron, graphite and balsamic herbs weave through the fruit, giving the wine a sense of depth and age old presence. The perfume is persistent and haunting rather than explosive.

On the palate, 2018 Colore is both commanding and graceful. The fruit is concentrated but never heavy, driven by vibrant acidity that gives lift and precision. Flavours of cherry, pomegranate and red plum unfold slowly, followed by savoury herbal notes and a strong mineral spine. The tannins are extraordinary. Ultra fine, silky and persistent, they coat the palate with authority while remaining beautifully integrated. The finish is exceptionally long and layered, echoing red fruit, florals, stone and subtle savoury notes long after the wine has left the glass.

This is a wine built for the very long haul. While it can be approached now with extended decanting, it is best viewed as a long term cellar wine, capable of evolving effortlessly for twenty five years or more. Over time, it will develop truffle, leather and deep savoury complexity while retaining its energy and structure. At the table, it demands simplicity and quality. Bistecca alla fiorentina, slow roasted lamb, game or truffle driven dishes are natural companions.

2018 Bibi Graetz Colore is extraordinarily rare, intensely expressive and one of the clearest benchmarks for what Sangiovese can achieve when old vines, great sites and uncompromising vision align. A true collector’s wine and a profound statement of Tuscan terroir.