April 2026 – With the 2024 vintage, Grattamacco Bianco (link) reaches an important milestone: forty years of history for a Bolgheri DOC wine born from one of the area’s most pioneering intuitions – one that helped broaden its expressive range.
At its origin lies a story that predates Vermentino. The estate’s vineyards, already in place in 1977, were planted with white varieties such as Trebbiano and Malvasia. From these early experiences came a pure, essential white wine that Luigi Veronelli once described as a “serene wine of innocent discovery.”
After its first bottlings as Vino da Tavola, 1984 marked the debut vintage under the newly established Bolgheri DOC Bianco.
Then, almost instinctively, Vermentino came into the picture. In 1986, Grattamacco was among the first to plant this variety on the hills of Bolgheri, at a time when its potential was still largely unexplored. From a massal selection of old indigenous vines emerged one of the earliest examples of pure Vermentino in the area.
Vintage after vintage, Grattamacco Bianco (link) has followed a clear path: interpreting the variety through the specific conditions of the Bolgheri hills – and in particular those of the Grattamacco estate – while maintaining a direct connection to the landscape and its geological foundation.
A heritage of historic vineyards
Today, Grattamacco Bianco is produced from some of the oldest Vermentino vines in the denomination, with parcels reaching up to 40 years of age.
The vineyards lie at around 100 metres above sea level, on a natural terrace overlooking the coast, in a particularly favourable growing conditions.
Here, soils rich in white clays and calcareous–marly flysch, together with the steady influence of sea breezes, help define a distinctive profile: a white wine marked by pronounced salinity and a precise aromatic character that recalls the Mediterranean scrub.
The character of place
The conditions of the Grattamacco hills are central to the wine’s identity. A Mediterranean microclimate, moderated by ventilation and diurnal temperature shifts, supports gradual ripening while preserving freshness and aromatic complexity.
The nature of the soils – the result of ancient marine sedimentation – directly shapes the wine’s structure: saline clays and flysch leave a clear imprint, expressed in both depth and savoury character.
The 2024 vintage
“The 2024 vintage stood out for its balanced climatic conditions,” comments Luca Marrone, Technical Director of ColleMassari Estates (link). “Spring rainfall supported vegetative growth, while the warm summer was managed without stress thanks to accumulated water reserves. Late-season precipitation accompanied the ripening process, encouraging a slow and harmonious evolution.
Harvest, between 5 and 28 September, brought in fruit with excellent freshness and aromatic complexity. The result is a wine that feels precise and fluid, where freshness, fragrance and saline character come through with particular clarity.”
Vinification
Grattamacco Bianco 2024 (link) follows a measured approach in the cellar: part of the must ferments in wood (barriques and tonneaux), while the remaining ferments in stainless steel.
The wine then ages for around six months on the fine lees, with frequent bâtonnage, before bottling in June 2025.
Forty years after its first interpretation of Bolgheri DOC Bianco in 1984, Grattamacco continues to trace a clear path within the denomination – one built over time, where Vermentino finds one of its most recognisable expressions in the hills of Bolgheri.
