Tasted And Rated

Graetz was born in Florence in 1966 and grew up surrounded by the art, culture, and wine of Tuscany. From an early age, he developed a deep love for the land and a fascination with the process of making wine. He started making wine on his own in the late 1980s, using grapes from a small vineyard near his home.

Over the years, Graetz gained a reputation as one of the most talented winemakers in Tuscany, producing wines that are both traditional and cutting-edge. He uses only the best grapes and employs meticulous winemaking techniques to create wines that are full of character and have a sense of place.

Colore 2020 is a rich and powerful red wine made from the Sangiovese grape. It has a deep ruby color and offers aromas of ripe red fruits, spices, and hints of leather. On the palate, it has a full-bodied and juicy texture, with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and vanilla. The tannins are firm and well-structured, leading to a long and elegant finish.

Testamatta 2020 is a more unconventional wine, made from a blend of traditional Tuscan grapes and international varieties. The result is a unique and captivating wine that is both elegant and bold. It has a bright ruby color and offers an intense bouquet of red and dark fruits, licorice, and black pepper. On the palate, it has a juicy and fresh texture, with flavors of black cherry, plum, and a hint of minerality. The tannins are soft and well-balanced, leading to a long and smooth finish.

Both Colore and Testamatta are handcrafted by Bibi Graetz and are a true expression of his passion for winemaking.

# supertuscan

The Paraschos family started making wine in the late 1990s when father Evangelos was first inspired by the wines of Stanko Radikon and Josko Gravner. The born Greek from Thessaloniki first came to the region in the late 1980s where he later met his future wife and partner in Gorizia. The family’s vineyards in the small village of San Floriano and Oslavje are some of the highest plots on the Italian side of the region.

The vineyards sit on a variety of soils, commonly known as Ponka (Opok) which consists of a layer of sandy clay and a bedrock of marl (argile). As with most wines of the region, their whites all feature a degree of skin maceration, a decision that more than anything suits the climatic conditions and the prevailing varieties and emphasizes the fantastic geologic conditions of the region.

Over the past few years, Alexis, son of Evangelos is now at the helm of the family’s winery, continuing the legacy and carrying forward a certain spirit that translates in the purity and precision of their wines. In a way they seem complete, without losing their tension and natural energy, thanks to a deep commitment to organic farming and respectful treatment of the grapes. Time is another key element of their philosophy — many of the wines are aged for at least 3 years before being released.

The Sauvignon by Paraschos is a white wine from Collio, produced without too long macerations on the skins, that ages for 2 years in Slavonian oak barrels. Without filtrations and added sulfites, this wine show the freshness and mineral expression of Sauvignon, alongside stone fruit flavours and hints of spices.

My kind of rose wine ❤️❤️