Bibi Graetz Soffocone Rosso 2023

‘Soffocone di Vincigliata’ is a very special wine from the Bibi Graetz stable: an ode to Sangiovese and the single vineyard it hails from, the hillside overlooking Florence where his winemaking journey began. Drawn from a single parcel of 70-year-old Sangiovese rooted in galestro soils surrounded by forest, the wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in large oak casks without temperature control, followed by 18 months of aging in traditional botti. It's an intentionally old-school approach that allows the vineyard, not the cellar, to define the wine. The 2023 is everything Bibi loves about Sangiovese: perfumed, energetic, and effortlessly graceful. Aromas of wild cherry, red currant, violet, and dried rose unfold alongside hints of tobacco leaf, crushed herbs, and warm spice. The palate is vibrant and finely etched, with juicy red fruit carried by bright acidity and silky, finely woven tannins. Beneath its elegance lies impressive depth, revealing notes of blood orange, black tea, and stony minerality as the wine opens in the glass. The finish is long, savory, and remarkably poised, lingering with floral lift and a gentle whisper of spice. Rather than chasing power, Soffocone celebrates transparency, proving that Sangiovese can be every bit as captivating through finesse as through intensity; it’s a beautiful expression of Vincigliata's hillside terroir and one of the purest windows into Bibi’s winemaking vision.