
Bibi Graetz
Bibi Graetz —
artist and winemaker in the hills above Florence
Bibi Graetz grew up at Villa Vincigliata near Fiesole —an estate with old vineyards directly above Florence. What began as an artistic project became one of Tuscany's most distinctive wineries: Graetz, a trained painter, began in the early 2000s to reclaim the overgrown terraces around the villa and uncover old vines of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino, some of them over 100 years old.
His most famous wine, Testamatta, is made from these old vines growing on Galestro and Alberese soils—the typical slate-clay mixture of the Tuscan hills. Fermentation takes place in open wooden vats, and aging is achieved in large oak barrels. The result is a Sangiovese-dominated red wine with depth and structure, clearly reflecting the origin of its grapes: cherries, verbena, and a dry, lingering finish.
Besides the Testamatta, Graetz produces the Colore, a cuvée from the estate's oldest vineyards, as well as more approachable lines like the Casamatta for everyday enjoyment. All the wines bear the signature of a man who understands winemaking as an expression of place and time—not as a formula.





