Testamatta Bianco, Bibi Graetz 2022

Lots of lemon curd, honeysuckle, white peach, white stone and other flowers. Some blanched almonds and sea breeze underneath it all. Hints of algae, too. Full-bodied and layered with distinctive flavors of dried lemons and apples. Oyster shells. Some phenolics that occur due to the wind during the growing season. Drink now.

Invigorating scents on the nose with this 100% Ansonica, expressive and so fragrant with jasmine, dried herbs, honeysuckle, dried apricot and lemon curd. Supple yet concentrated, full bodied on the palate with a core of dried, fresh and stone fruit and a steely minerality underpinned by soft but fresh acidity. A serious, gourmet wine, with structure but remains focussed and direct from start to finish. The texture is sleek but the flavours expand horizontally around gripping the cheeks and giving a mouthwatering effect. Finishes with an appealing salty, minty, cooling bitterness that lingers. Quietly captivating with more nuance to come after a few more years in the bottle. First vintage 2016. -

Testamatta Bianco is 100% Ansonica from the island of Giglio, where Bibi spent three months every summer when he was growing up. It's a blend from north-facing vines planted in granitic, sandy soils with layers of tufo, largely from the southwest but this year also incorporating some fruit from the north side of the island. Initially vinified in stainless steel, it then completes fermentation after the first week in stainless steel (30%) and new and used French oak barriques (70%). The wine is then matured for seven months in the same percentages. Fresh aromas of lemon, orange peel and floral notes lead to a bright and zippy palate with lovely texture. Intense but not overly concentrated, it's a sapid, saline and stony white with peach and pithy notes and a very long, peppery finish with some floral lift. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030

As is often the case with Testamatta compared to Colore, you can expect a bigger immediate hit with this white compared to its sibling, with jasmine and honeysuckle on the aromatics, leading to white gooseberries and gentle citrus, reflecting the fresh acidities that draw out the finish. Expressive and full-bodied, with waves of flavour, an unusual white from the Ansonica grape. Great quality, engaging, and I recommend giving this a bit of time in a carafe, because it has layers and depths that reward patience. Bibi Graetz winemaker.

Brilliant straw. A gorgeous, perfumed nose with garden herbs and basil and chalk and just the suggestion of mint? Amazing precision, and the fruit is just right at the edge before it turns into orange or mandarin. Fine citric palate. Great focus but taut and viscous and holding back a little. Very precise and long. Drink Date: 2023 - 2030