Podere Grattamacco Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore 2022 750ml

Pouring a dark magenta, the 2021 Grattamacco is fruity and floral with aromas of lavender oils, plum, mocha, incense, and sweet earth. Full-bodied, it has refreshing acidity, defined, ripe tannins, and a good finish. It has a lot of potential and should improve and stand the test of time. It’s fantastically detailed. Drink 2026-2050.

Looking to the upcoming release, the 2022 Grattamacco pours a more youthful red/purple hue and opens to a more blue-fruited nature at this early stage, with sweetly perfumed aromas of blackberry, violet candies, pressed sage, and fresh earth. The palate is gorgeous and full, with velvety tannins, a youthful plushness of fruit, and its characteristic savory elements highlighting the wine with a long, balanced finish. It’s a very even wine but does show the stress of a hot year with late rains. It feels like the duck on water – graceful and peaceful above water, while underneath it has the structure to go the distance. It’s reminiscent of the 2012, although it seems to have more cushion. Drink 2027-2050.

A unique wine with power, grace and elegant tannins. Aromas of leather, cedar, kiwis, restrained cassis and Mediterranean nuances. Full-bodied with a lot of weight and power, showing ripe, velvety tannins, crisp acidity, a tight-knit structure and a polished aftertaste. Warm yet super balanced, savory and vibrant. Drink or hold.

A dark and complex wine not without grace. On the nose it shows restrained cassis, kiwis, anise, oak bark, cloves and a light touch of leaves. Full-bodied on the palate, with density, fine-grained tannins and crisp, exuberant acidity. Long, balanced, savory, slightly austere finish. Enjoyable for a kind of elegant lightness. It will be released in October 2025. Drinkable then, but best from 2026.

Blueberry, black currant and pomegranate flavors are accented by oak spice, graphite and rosemary notes in this fresh, long red. Taut and vibrant, with terrific balance and a fine-grained band of tannins lining the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2026 through 2043. 5,500 cases made, 500 cases imported. (Bruce Sanderson)

The superb Grattamacco 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco (a certified organic wine) is balanced and intense, yet it remains faithful to a medium-plus texture that never feels weighed down. That's one of the best qualities of this classical vintage: you get the power of the fruit with contained concentration and extraction. The bouquet is alive with blackcurrants, cherry, spice and hints of campfire ember. This is one of the jewels of Bolgheri. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese (with 60,000 bottles made). It ferments in conical oak vats with ambient yeasts and manual push-downs and ages in barrique for 18 months.

The 2022 Grattamacco is such a classy red. Delicate, svelte and gracious, the 2022 impresses with its total finesse more than anything else. Silky tannins and lifted aromatics make a strong first impression. Hints of blackberry, incense, dried herbs and mocha develop in the glass, adding layers of nuance. Pretty floral and spice top notes lift the finish.

A bold, sweeping wine, the 2021 Grattamacco is pretty impressive. Readers should expect a potent, extroverted red with tons of Bolgheri opulence. There’s plenty of supporting structure too, but at this stage it’s the wine’s intense, ripe profile that carries the day. A blast of blackberry, scorched earth, new leather, licorice and incense saturates the palate on the long, sustained finish. (Antonio Galloni)

The organic Grattamacco 2022 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco commemorates the estate’s 40th anniversary (1982–2022) with a special label. The wine is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese. Rich and generous, the wine delivers a creamy texture with notable depth and concentration. While the hot 2022 vintage contributes an extra note of sweetness and ripeness, the balance holds firm thanks to the wine’s structure and the season’s naturally thicker-skinned fruit, which resulted in a bolder tannic profile. This anniversary release totals 60,000 bottles.

A tightly wound, dense red that will require a few years to unwind. Black cherry, black currant, plum, iron and Mediterranean herb notes are locked up by the beefy tannins. Tips to the astringent side, yet this should find a better equilibrium in a year or two. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2028 through 2042. 5,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.