“Testamatta” – or “crazy head” – is not just a name, but a statement about the freedom to create wine without compromise.
Testamatta 2020 is a pure Sangiovese, but far from the classic patterns. Created by Bibi Graetz in the hills above Florence, this wine is the expression of a personal vision, in which the Tuscan tradition is filtered through intuition, sensitivity and a touch of nonconformism.
A name, an identity
“Testamatta” — literally “crazy head” — is the nickname Graetz assumed and turned into a manifesto. It is not about gratuitous eccentricity, but about the courage to go beyond conventions, while maintaining respect for the variety and the place.
The 2020 vintage also marks an important moment: the first edition produced in the new winery, located on the hills overlooking Florence. A space that reflects the philosophy of the manufacturer — controlled freedom, discreet technique, emphasis on expression.
Focus on details
The grapes come from six of the best plots of the estate, including a new vineyard, planted at over 400 meters altitude, which brings extra freshness and tension to the wine.
The year 2020 offered almost ideal conditions: hot, dry days, and cool nights — that contrast that allows the full development of flavors, without losing acidity.
The harvest was done in eight successive passes through each plot, a laborious process, but essential for the selection of grapes at optimal maturity. It’s the kind of attention to detail that you can’t see, but you can feel it in the glass.
Winemaking: balance between tradition and freedom
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts, carried out in both wood and stainless steel, preserves the authentic character of the fruit. Maturation — 20 months in small barrels and large 5,000-liter barrels — adds structure without dominating. The result is a wine that does not seem to be built, but left to reveal itself.
Tasting: vibration and finesse
Flavor
The nose is bright and expressive: ripe summer cherries, sage leaf and a subtle touch of candied orange peel. A combination that evokes the Tuscan landscape in full light.
Taste
On the palate, the wine is vibrant and precise. Raspberries bring freshness, dried herbs and lavender outline a complex flavor profile, and the fine graphite note adds depth and elegance.
Structure
The body is medium, with soft, well-polished tannins that support the wine without weighing it down. It’s all about balance and fluidity.
Final
The lively acidity persists on the tongue and gums, providing an energetic, almost electric finish that invites you to taste again.
Pairing: strength and refinement
Testamatta 2020 calls for a dish to match — a bone-in ribeye, grilled and flavored with rosemary. The intensity of the meat and the aromas of the herbs meet the structure of the wine, in a balanced dialogue between strength and finesse.
A Sangiovese that lives
Bibi Graetz Testamatta 2020 is not a static wine. It is one that moves, that evolves, that breathes.
It can be enjoyed now, for its vibrant energy, or kept to discover its depth in time. But, no matter the moment, it remains faithful to the idea from which it was born: that wine must not only be respected — it must also be lived.
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