Italy is home to centuries-old wine vineyards, DOCGs, and customs. However, a visionary occasionally steps forward to challenge the current quo. One such person is the Tuscan vintner and artist Bibi Graetz. Without ever adhering to the rules, Graetz has crafted one of Italy’s most captivating wine storylines. He is well-known for his fiercely individualistic wines, hand-painted labels, and respect for ancient vines. This is a tale of terroir, love, and artistic disobedience, from his untamed, windswept plots on Isola del Giglio to his hillside vineyards above Florence.
Without any official oenological education, Graetz made his first vintage of Testamatta in 2000. Its purity, tension, and intensity immediately drew the attention of critics and wine enthusiasts. It was made with old-vine Sangiovese and had a striking, expressionist label that he painted himself. After this success, he produced Colore, a more complex and dark blending of Canaiolo, Colorino, and old Sangiovese.
Graetz disapproved of the traditional Tuscan wine categories from the start. He chose the IGT Toscana label over DOCG accreditation, which allowed him the artistic freedom to create wine the way he wanted. His portfolio grew during the following 20 years, his wines won praise from all over the world, and in 2019 the winery moved to the exquisitely renovated Villa Aurora in Fiesole, which is a testament to the estate’s maturity and aspirations.
Precision Winemaking Meets Creative Freedom
Bibi Graetz, a perceptive and intellectual winemaker who frequently refers to wine as a medium for artistic expression, is at the heart of the winery. Each bottle is an emotive depiction of location, vintage, and variety for him. His artistic training is more than just a ploy; it’s a philosophy that guides every choice made in the cellar and vineyard.
Graetz has a small yet knowledgeable staff around him. Federico Cerelli, a renowned enologist with prior expertise at Castello Banfi, is foremost among them. Cerelli has contributed to improving the winemaking procedures since coming in 2015 while upholding Bibi’s low-intervention philosophy. The team prefers neutral oak, low sulphur, and native yeasts so that the site’s and old vines’ voices may be heard clearly.
Respect for the soil, the native grapes of Tuscany, and the viticultural traditions that predate contemporary winemaking rules are the foundations of their work.
Terroir & Vineyards A Patchwork of Granite, Heritage, and Altitude
The vineyards owned by Bibi Graetz are spread out across multiple estates. Rather, he has put together a patchwork of old-vine plots around Tuscany and on the isolated island of Giglio, which were picked for their expressive value rather than their status.
Fiesole (Florentine Hills)
These hillside parcels are the winery’s spiritual home and are situated just northeast of Florence. Vines are grown on sandy, schist-rich soils between 250 and 450 metres above sea level. The distinctive freshness, delicate tannins, and aromatic lift of Graetz’s Sangiovese are a result of these circumstances. The farming is meticulous, non-invasive, and done by hand; many of the vines are over 80 years old.
The region of Maremma and Siena in southern Tuscany
Graetz rents and cultivates other acres planted with Colorino, Canaiolo, and Sangiovese in regions such as Maremma and the vicinity of Siena. More clay and limestone soils are available in these regions, producing wines with richer fruit tones and structure, two essential elements of Colore.
The Island of the Giglio
The location on Isola del Giglio, a rocky granite island off the coast of Tuscany, is arguably the most striking in Graetz’s portfolio. Here, he cares for Ansonica, a white grape that grows well in marine environments, on old terraces. The environment is harsh and windy, the vineyards are only reachable on foot, and the soils are pure granite. These wines, such as Testamatta Bianco and Bugia, are textured, salty, and unmatched in Italy.
Wine Portfolio Personality Icons
Bibi Graetz specialises in a small, premium selection of wines, each with a unique character and a close relationship to vineyard age and site.
Testamatta (Sangiovese) is Bibi’s characteristic colour and means “crazy head“. 100% Sangiovese from several high-altitude old-vine plots is used to make this wine, which is then fermented in open-top barriques and matured in neutral wood. The end product is a bright wine with vivid acidity, wild herbs, violet, and red cherry.
A premium bottling that highlights the finest parcels. Colore is a thick, structured, and ageing-friendly wine that is a mix of Sangiovese, Colorino, and Canaiolo. Before being carefully blended, the grapes are vinified separately. One of the most valuable wines in Italy.
Vincigliata’s Soffocone
This IGT red, which combines Sangiovese with trace percentages of Colorino and Canaiolo, has a provocative moniker (a phrase used in local Florentine slang). It retains the expressive flair of the estate while being more approachable when aged in antique barrels.
Bugia (Ansonica)
Bugia is a white wine with structure and minerality that comes from the granite terraces of Giglio. It exhibits lemon peel, broken rocks, and a sea breeze finish after being aged in neutral barrels and stainless steel.
Bianco Testamatta
This wine, another treasure from Giglio, emphasises freshness and salinity while showcasing Ansonica in a brighter, more fragrant profile than Bugia.
Every wine is produced with an emphasis on low sulphite levels, native yeasts, manual harvesting, and minimal intervention.
Closing Remarks: A Vine Artist
Bibi Graetz is a cultural force, a storyteller, and a preservationist in addition to being a winemaker. He has created a very personal yet deeply ingrained route in an area characterised by laws and customs. His wines, which speak not only of Tuscany but also of one man’s unique vision to transform old vines into living art, are some of the most imaginative and expressive in all of Italy.
Bibi Graetz is a name worth knowing—and tasting—whether you’re a wine supplier looking for exceptional Italian selections, a sommelier trying to add personality to your list, or a true aficionado seeking genuine originality.
