The 41st vintage reflects a challenging growing season managed with precision in the vineyard, resulting in a wine of depth, balance and outstanding ageing potential
Castagneto Carducci, September 2026 – Every vintage tells a different story. For Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore 2023 (link), that story is one of care and precision, with work in the vineyard playing a decisive role. Born from a season marked by high humidity, the wine reached the bottle through a careful process focused on preserving the health of the grapes while allowing the character of the territory to shine through.
“In vintages like this one, Grattamacco truly expresses its character, revealing all its energy and vitality, while retaining the finesse and elegance that have always defined its style,” says Luca Marrone, Grattamacco’s winemaker. “The 2023 vintage points to a wine of great balance and freshness, with the structure and ageing potential to rank among the finest vintages.”
Balance built in the vineyard
The 2023 vintage demanded close attention from the very beginning of the growing season. A very wet spring, with regular rainfall, created favorable conditions for vegetative growth but also increased disease pressure, which was further heightened by summer temperatures.
“Thanks to targeted vineyard management, we were able to contain the risks and keep the vines in balance, preserving the health of the grapes through to ripening,” Marrone continues. “This is where the work of our vineyard team becomes especially important. In a challenging season, it was not simply a matter of guiding the grapes through ripening, but of making precise interventions at the right moments to maintain the balance of the vines and reach harvest in the best possible condition.”
Further rainfall at the end of August, accompanied by strong winds, helped restore favorable conditions, while warm temperatures in early September supported the final stages of ripening. This complex climatic pattern called for careful monitoring of the vineyards and precisely timed harvesting across the different parcels, allowing the grapes to develop concentration and aromatic depth.
Harvesting took place mainly during the final weeks of September and was completed on October 5th.
The Grattamacco signature (link)
In the new vintage of Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore, the character of Bolgheri is expressed through a delicate balance of structure and freshness, depth and tension. The wine comes from estate vineyards located between 100 and 200 metres above sea level, on some of the highest hills in the area, where white clays alternate with calcareous-marly flysch and quartz-rich and calcareous sandstones. These soils contribute elegance and finesse to the reds, helping create a seamless balance between structure and supple tannins. The Mediterranean climate, tempered by frequent sea breezes, further contributes to the distinctive character of the vineyards.
It is in this setting that the blend takes shape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, an unconventional combination within the denomination that brings together international varieties with a grape deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition. Sangiovese is one of the defining elements of the Grattamacco style and reflects the estate’s distinctive approach to interpreting Bolgheri through a native Tuscan variety. It is a choice rooted in the history of the estate, and one that makes Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore immediately recognizable.
Viticulture is based on methods and principles fully respectful of the environment, encouraging a natural balance in the vineyard and low yields per hectare. The grapes, from vines averaging 25 years of age, are harvested by hand and carefully selected before reaching the cellar
Fermentation takes place in open oak vats, with repeated, gentle manual punch-downs and extended maceration, allowing for the slow extraction of fine tannins. The wine then undergoes 18 months of ageing in barriques before bottling.
“At the heart of our approach is a vision of winemaking centered on essentiality: the work in the cellar serves the vineyard and its ability to express a distinctive and recognizable identity” concludes Luca Marrone.
