In Florence to have "Grilli" (crickets in Italian) means to be a dreamer.  This wine, born from the partnership with Mondavi, reflects the creative style and the dynamism of Bibi Graetz.  With this wine Bibi decided to break his own rule and make a wine which is not made by indigenous Tuscan grapes, but a wine made from international varieties, following the definition of "Supertuscan" and using Cabernet and Merlot.
 
2019 was a balanced vintage in line with some of the best harvests we had in the last years. Mild and temperate winter followed by a colder than usual spring with temperatures below seasonal averages. The summer season was hot, very dry and stable. These factors allowed us to have very healthy grapes with a nice level of acidity and sugar. The harvest started later than usual and lasted till the late mid of October.
 
The grapes, sourced from the area in between Firenze ad Siena, are handpicked and selected on the plants, destemmed and soft pressed before the fermentation. Natural fermentations, using indigenous yeasts and without any temperature control, lasts for 9 to 12 days followed by 3 to 5 days of maceration on the skins. Aging process, as well as the fermentation is conducted in stainless steel tanks, for 18 months.
 
TASTING NOTES
Red fruits at the very beginning leave space to plum, dark chocolate and leather, with a super-fine acidity that supports the freshness.  A wine with an elegance rather than an aspect overpowering another.