Bibi Graetz - Tuscan Winemaker with a Cult Collector Following

Bibi Graetz is one of the most compelling creative forces in Tuscany’s modern wine scene. A captivating blend of artistry and craftsmanship, Graetz has built a cult following since launching his first vintage in 2000. Drawing on his background as a trained painter—and son of a Swiss-Israeli sculptor—he has created not only memorable wines, but also visually stunning labels painted by himself and his children. 

From Canvas to Bottle

Graetz grew up near Florence in a family rooted in art, and he initially pursued painting at the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze . But as the vineyards surrounding his childhood home matured, he felt a calling to vinification. Although he never trained formally in enology, Graetz dove headfirst into winemaking and, by 2000, debuted his first Tuscan reds made from Sangiovese, Colorino, and Canaiolo. 

This shift from painter’s palette to grape skins marked the birth of a new, artistic expression—translated from canvas to wine bottle.

Grown up as an artist, Graetz creates the artwork for his wine labels.

Terroir & Old Vines: The Foundation

One of Graetz’s defining principles is his dedication to old-vine viticulture. Over the past two decades, he has assembled a mosaic of more than 80 hectares of century-old vineyards around Florence and the Isola del Giglio, including privately owned sites and leased plots. These high-altitude, rocky terroirs yield wines of intense concentration yet surprising finesse—rich with mineral undertones and vibrant acidity.

He uses organic viticultural methods and relies on spontaneous fermentation in open-top barriques, allowing each terroir parcel to sing its own song before blending. Graetz’s farming philosophy is all about letting “the vineyard” speak, and ignoring heavy intervention.

The estate surrounding Vincigliata Castle, an ancient medieval building dating back to 1031, renovated in 1851, and purchased by the Graetz family in the early 1960s.

Rising Stars: Testamatta & Colore

From his early lines emerged two flagship cuvées: Testamatta (literally “crazy-head”) and Colore. Today these wines are recognized globally—and consistently receive high praise.

• Testamatta is a pure Sangiovese that captures the freshness of northern slopes, balancing red-fruit liveliness and refined structure.  Annual production hovers around 1,200 cases.
• Colore started as a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino. Since 2018, it transitioned into a 100 percent Sangiovese expression, built from the best old-vine parcels.

These wines are often described as light and transparent—yet layered, with beautiful purity of fruit. Critics and collectors have awarded them consistent high scores: for instance, Colore and Testamatta routinely earn between 94–99 points. The 2022 Testamatta was rated 96 points, and the 2022 Colore Bianco even reached 98 points.

Bibi Graetz flagship wines – Testamatta and Colore

Whites & the Island of Giglio

Graetz’s passion for old vines also led him to the rugged coastal island of Giglio. There, he revived ancient vineyards of Ansonica (Inzolia) and Vermentino planted on granite soils close to the sea.

These include Testamatta Bianco and Colore Bianco, both 100 percent Ansonica, sourced from century-old vines. These white wines are lauded for their minerality, robustness, and unmistakable “goat-like” character—a fitting description coined by Graetz himself. Their success highlights that Graetz isn’t just a red-wine specialist, but also a leader in quality Tuscan white production.

Balocchi: The Playful Side

In a delightful twist, Graetz has introduced the Balocchi series—Italian for “toys”—highlighting single-parcel expressions that feel whimsical and experimental. The series includes varietal wines from Canaiolo, Colorino, Sangiovese from old vines grown in the hills around Colli Fiorentini in Chianti, and even rare Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon, and Merlot vines growing on his properties. These releases are small in volume but rich in creativity—both playful and provocatively refined. At Farsonsdirect, we are proud to have allocations of these wines.

The Balocchi di Colore range

Soffocone di Vincigliata: Risqué but Serious

With his humorous character, Bibi has named this wine in a Tuscan slang term—essentially translating to a "suffocating" encounter in a sexual activity. The label, depicting a suggestive abstract figure, actually caused controversy with U.S. importers and even led to a temporary ban by the US TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) for its provocative connotation.

The wine is mostly made from Sangiovese, with Colorino and Canaiolo. Despite the playful name, the wine itself is serious, structured, and cellar-worthy and has received serious critical acclaim, with strong scores from publications like Wine Spectator and James Suckling. This wine can be found on our site at around €35 per bottle, making it a great value for a boutique Super Tuscan-style wine.

Casamatta: Fantastic introduction to Bibi’s Style

Bibi Graetz’s Casamatta wines are an entry-level, approachable wine range—playful in spirit yet crafted with integrity. They are designed as a “little Testamatta”—Testamatta being his flagship wine—but lighter, fresher, and designed for everyday drinking.

The Casamatta Rosso (Toscana IGT) is 100% Sangiovese sourced from Bibi’s younger vineyards around Fiesole, Vincigliata, and Montelupo.  It is fermented in steel with indigenous yeasts for around a week; aged 6 months in steel before bottling. Casamatta Bianco (Toscana IGT) is a blend of regional white grapes—typically Vermentino (60%), Trebbiano (30%), Ansonica or Moscato (10%).

Casamatta Bianco and Rosso

La Place de Bordeaux: Global Availability

In 2024, Bibi Graetz decided to sell his wines through La Place de Bordeaux, a system known for its high-end distribution network. Whereas some non-Bordeaux wines in La Place have not really performed well, Bibi’s wines have seen strong sales, with high demand and quick sell-through rates.

The success of Bibi Graetz's wines on La Place is attributed to the relatively small production volumes, the high quality of the wines, and consistent and competitive pricing.

To celebrate the first introduction of his wines at La Place, Bibi produced a one-of-a-kind large format 27-litre bottle of Colore. The bottle was labelled with Bibi’s work of art and housed in a special case, made from the wood of the barrique in which the wine was aged, crowned by a stainless steel lid, and sealed with Bibi Graetz’s signature. This unique bottle of Colore 2016 set a new record for Italian wine after it became the most expensive Italian bottle ever sold.

Unique 27-litre bottle of Colore

Aging & Investment Potential

Collectors appreciate Bibi’s wines not just for their drinking pleasure, but for their aging potential. Many estimators suggest Testamatta and Colore will evolve beautifully over 10–20 years. Vintage bottles also appreciate significantly; for example, a 2009 Testamatta rose roughly 80 percent in value within a year.

Final Thoughts

Bibi Graetz defies simple classification. Is he an artist who makes wine, or a winemaker whose wine is art? The answer is both. From vineyard to bottle, his vision is animated by creativity, tradition, and experimentation.

Whether you fall in love with his vibrant reds, compelling whites, or playful Balocchi series, Graetz offers a taste of Tuscany reimagined—rooted in terroir, elevated by imagination. And with aging potential and collectible appeal, his wines don't just tell a story; they promise a journey.

You can find our full range of Bibi Graetz wines here:

https://farsonsdirect.com/collections/wines/brand_bibi-graetz