BIBI GRAETZ Balocchi di Cabernet Franc No.7 2021 Bottle

Description

Bibi Graetz Balocchi Cabernet Franc 2021 is an exquisite and extremely limited release, with only 1,200 bottles produced. Sourced from very mature vines in Olmo, near Fiesole, this 100% Cabernet Franc showcases the unique terroir of the region. Awarded 98 points by James Suckling, it features a sensory blend of blackberries, violets, and dark chocolate, complemented by beautifully integrated tannins and a long finish. The Wine Advocate rated it 95 points, highlighting its fresh, sweet red and purple fruit aromas and a firm yet elegant mouthfeel. Vinous awarded it 93+, praising its juicy energy and crisp red berry flavours, alongside hints of cedar. This ethereal wine promises great ageing potential, perfect for enjoyment through 2035.

*****

This is an extremely limited release, with just 1,200 bottles produced. It's an exquisite 100% Cabernet Franc bottling - Bibi's first - from a tiny parcel of very mature vines in Olmo, near Fiesole. Balocchi, which roughly translates as ‘toys’, is a range of micro-cuvées that Bibi makes from single plots of rare old vines with distinct character.

"The 2021 Balocchi di Cabernet Franc is arrestingly beautiful.The nose is complex and defined, moving from heady, red and blue berry-fruit to pretty dried violet and rose petal. The palate is sculpted from marble, so light on its feet as it delivers waves of red and black cherry, dried strawberry and plum, accented by blood orange and floral perfume. This is ethereal, showing the power, minerality and fragility of old vine Cabernet Franc. Maturation of 24 months in old 225l barrique. Drink 2026 – 2040+" - Charlie Leech, Italy Buyer FMV

JAMES SUCKLING 98 points
This is a sensational cabernet franc with blackberries, violets and hints of stems, dark earth and dark chocolate. Medium-bodied with beautifully integrated tannins and a long, long finish. It takes off. This will give the best of Loire cabernet franc a run for its money. 1,200 bottle made. Just drink it. Drink or hold.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Published: Jul 25, 2024
Drink Date: 2024 - 2035
Bibi Graetz is visibly proud of his latest creation, and indeed, it represents something new even for this out-of-the-box-thinking vintner. The 2021 Cabernet Franc Podere dell’Olmo Balocchi di Colore N. 7 is a big surprise for a winemaker so married to indigenous Tuscan grapes. The wine shows a pretty nose with sweet fruits that are red and purple in character rather than black. It delivers excellent freshness, good length and a mouthfeel that is firm but not heavy. The tannins are integrated and elegant.

Bibi Graetz is reducing his production numbers, going from 500,000 bottles produced in 2013 to less than half that number in recent years. His top-shelf Colore has been reduced from 50,000 bottles in 2020 to only 15,000 bottles now, with fruit sourced from two vineyard sites. He is committed to adopting what he calls "a more selective approach." As someone who has studied his portfolio for many years, I still have concerns over the ever-changing wines and the introduction of new products (and the removal of others), which could cause confusion among consumers. As Bibi's new vineyard sites in Fiesole become mature, the portfolio will also consolidate.

VINOUS 93+ points
Dusty rose and hints of white pepper give way to cedar shavings and dried strawberries as the 2021 Cabernet Franc Balocchi N.7 evolves slowly in the glass. This is surprisingly juicy and energetic, with brilliant acidity to amplify its crisp red berry fruit and a cascade of rosy inner florals. The 2021 finishes with a pleasantly tart and chewy sensation, leaving fine-grained tannins and nuances of violet pastille on the close. - Eric Guido