2021 Colore del Testamatta

Seductive and layered, the 2021 Colore is also entirely Sangiovese, coming from 100-year-old vines. It pours a rich magenta/ruby hue and reveals pure and luxurious aromas of black cherry liqueur, fresh lavender, polished leather, cedar, and sweet sage. Medium to full-bodied, it’s chiseled and well-defined, with refined, plush tannins, harmonious depth, and an extraordinarily long finish that slowly tapers. This is a stunning wine from Bibi Graetz that will only improve with proper cellar time. It’s remarkable. Drink 2027-2050.

Hauntingly dark and alluring, the 2021 Colore entices with a blend of dusty violets and lavender, giving way to dried blueberries and sweet smoke. It washes across the palate with textures of pure silk, finessed and lifted in feel, with depths of tart wild berry fruit that saturate. Brisk acidity adds balance, and hints of licorice form toward the close. While firm, the 2021’s tannins are crunchy and crisp, adding structural tension without taking away from its undeniably pretty persona. This finishes with outstanding length and a sour cranberry tinge that puckers the cheeks. The future is bright, but patience is required.

100% Sangiovese. Harvest 20 September to 16 October. Harvested parcel by parcel from four vineyards: Lamole, Vincigliata, Olmo and Siena. Selected fruit was destemmed, gently pressed into open-top 225-litre barriques for the smaller plots or 50-hl casks or stainless-steel tanks for the larger plots. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts with up to three manual punchdowns per day at the peak of fermentation, gradually decreasing to only one to keep the cap wet. After fermentation, the wines were moved into old barriques and 50-hl casks where malolactic fermentation occurred. The wine was aged for around 18 months before bottling. An intriguing nose, this blends leather and sweet clove with lively red fruit. The palate is seamless with a sweet middle but very fine acids and gently extracted tannins. A weightless but intense, harmonious example, this is eminently drinkable already. All finesse and succulence. (TP)