Compared to the Testamatta that proved more difficult during the blending phase, Bibi Graetz's 2018 Colore came together without a hitch, as he tells it. With this vintage, the Colore (with 9,000 bottles produced) has almost become a single-vineyard wine, since up to 90% of its fruit comes from old vines (these are majestic plants from 80 to 135 years old) in the high-altitude Lamole area where Bibi farms five hectares. The addition of Colorino to this Sangiovese-based wine has been reduced to a mere 5% in this vintage: "Just like a touch of lipstick," Bibi says. The Colorino grape adds noticeable lift and buoyancy in this vintage. Next to the Testamatta, you get more structure and backbone here, with deep and penetrating red berry fruit, ruby cherry, crushed aspirin, ferrous earth, crushed flowers and some of the fragrant steeping herbs used in Fernet-Branca. My only hesitation is that the wine takes long to yield on the bouquet, and I coaxed two bottles of Colore over two days before writing this note. As a result, I recommend pushing the drinking window forward by a few extra years to give the wine time to flesh out and open fully.

90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino. A mild, stable vintage across Tuscany with few extreme weather incidents. Sunny and dry around harvest with cool nights and no heat spikes. Vintage started end September, finished mid October. Graetz explained that there was no green harvest, now favouring letting the vine find its own equilibrium. Very restrained and pure on both the nose and palate, this is extremely youthful but will evolve into a fine Colore. Manages to be both soft in texture yet with plenty of structure for the long-haul. Dark, bitter-cherry notes mingle with an intriguing note of dark soy sauce, as well as violet and fresh pine on the nose. Great freshness and length on the finish. (AH)