Bibi Graetz Testamatta Rosso 2019

Bibi Graetz Testamatta Rosso 2019 is a 100% Sangiovese red wine from Tuscany, Italy, bottled at 14% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This landmark 20th-anniversary vintage earned 97 points from James Suckling and 95 points from Decanter critic Stephen Brook, placing it among the finest expressions of old-vine Tuscan Sangiovese in its class.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14%  |  Origin: Tuscany, Italy  |  Vintage: 2019  |  Producer: Bibi Graetz  |  Varietal: 100% Sangiovese

Production & Heritage

Bibi Graetz, the Florentine artist-turned-winemaker, sources Testamatta's fruit from five specific old vineyards across Tuscany—Siena, Lamole, Vincigliata, Londa, and Montefili—where vines range from 35 to 50 years old. Each vineyard is harvested up to eight times to ensure only perfectly ripened clusters enter production, a painstaking approach that defines the wine's intensity and precision. The 2019 vintage underwent natural fermentation in open-top barriques with six to eight daily manual punch-downs, followed by 30 months of aging in oak. This release also marks the first Testamatta produced in Bibi Graetz's brand-new winemaking facilities in Florence.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with hauntingly aromatic wild Marasca cherry and Middle Eastern spice before unfolding into dried flowers, sandalwood, and hints of Tuscan macchia—the sun-warmed brush of the hillsides. There is a quiet depth underneath, suggesting dark plum and dried herbs.

Taste: The palate enters with succulent ripe red berries and cranberry, building through a silky mid-palate layered with damson, black tea, and licorice. A savoury edge emerges alongside white pepper spice and a clear, fine-grained minerality that carries the wine toward its peak without ever feeling heavy.

Finish: The finish is long and textured, with lingering sage, caramel, and dark cherry that slowly fade into a stony mineral signature. It leaves a lasting impression of freshness despite the wine's concentration.

How to Drink Testamatta 2019

This wine is best served at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a large-bowled glass. Given its complexity and 30-month oak aging, it rewards patient sipping on its own, though decanting for 30–60 minutes will allow the layers to fully open. Testamatta 2019 is not a cocktail wine—its structure and depth are designed for the table and the glass, and it drinks beautifully now with ample potential for further cellar aging through the early 2030s.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Italian wine collector or Sangiovese devotee
• Anchoring a Tuscan-themed dinner party with aged cheeses and slow-braised meats
• Celebrating a milestone anniversary—fitting for a 20th-anniversary bottling
• Adding a critically acclaimed vintage to a long-term cellar collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Testamatta 2019 taste like? Testamatta 2019 leads with wild Marasca cherry and ripe red berries, layered with black tea, licorice, white pepper spice, and a persistent stony minerality that defines the finish.

How does Testamatta 2019 compare to Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve? Both are 100% Sangiovese IGT Toscana wines from acclaimed producers, but Testamatta draws from multiple old-vine sites across Tuscany rather than a single estate vineyard, giving it a broader aromatic palette. Flaccianello tends toward a more structured, tannic profile, while Testamatta emphasizes silky texture and aromatic complexity.

Is Testamatta 2019 good for sipping neat? Absolutely—its silky texture, layered aromatics, and extended oak aging make it ideally suited to contemplative sipping, especially after 30 to 60 minutes in a decanter.

Where is Testamatta 2019 made? Testamatta is produced by Bibi Graetz in Florence, Tuscany, Italy, using Sangiovese grapes sourced from five old-vine vineyards scattered across the region, including sites in Lamole, Siena, and Vincigliata.

What foods pair well with Testamatta 2019? Bistecca alla fiorentina highlights the wine's savory depth and tannic backbone. Pappardelle with wild boar ragù mirrors its earthy, spice-driven character. Aged Pecorino Toscano complements its minerality. Roasted lamb with rosemary echoes the herbal Tuscan brush aromatics. Dark chocolate with sea salt plays off the licorice and cherry notes on the finish.

What sizes does Testamatta 2019 come in? Testamatta 2019 is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Testamatta 2019 worth the price? Testamatta positions as a premium-to-ultra-premium Tuscan Sangiovese, and the 2019 vintage's 97-point James Suckling score, 95-point Decanter rating, and meticulous multi-vineyard, multi-harvest production justify its standing among the top tier of IGT Toscana wines.

Why Testamatta 2019?

The 2019 vintage is the 20th-anniversary release of Testamatta, produced for the first time in Bibi Graetz's purpose-built Florence winery—a turning point for the estate. Fruit from five distinct old-vine parcels, harvested up to eight times each, delivers a complexity that single-vineyard wines rarely achieve. A 97-point score from James Suckling and 95 points from Decanter's Stephen Brook confirm this as one of the strongest Testamatta vintages to date. In a landscape crowded with Sangiovese-based wines, Testamatta 2019 stands apart through sheer obsessiveness in the vineyard and a winemaking philosophy that treats each parcel as a unique voice within a unified whole.