Bibbiano’s Current Releases from Castellina in Chianti
Located near Castellina in Chianti, the 220 ha Bibbiano estate dates back to the 11th century, although the Marzi family began its ownership in the mid 19th century. After WWII, Pier Tomaso Marzi and his son-in-law Alfredo Marrocchesi renovated the estate with the assistance of famed enologist Giulio Gambelli who made the wines until the turn of the century. Today, Tommaso Marrocchesi Marzi manages the estate and its 37 ha of vines, located at 270-300m altitude. With his brother Federico, he has overseen new vineyard plantings and the development of two Gran Selezione wines as well as an award-winning Super Tuscan called Bibbianaccio. We review Bibbiano’s current releases below.
Bibbiano makes two single vineyard Gran Selezione wines, Montornello and Vigna del Capannino. The winery sits on top of a hill with the Montornello vineyard and its calcareous clay soils sloping down to the northeast and the Vigna del Capannino sloping down to the southwest. The Bibbiano wines and their refined red fruit are characteristic of the Castellina region. These are also wines that age very well as shown by the 1983 that we opened at the winery. David Biagiotti is the winemaker. Thanks to Tenuta di Bibbiano for permission to use the photos in this article. The US importer is Massanois.
The Wines
Bibbiano 2022 Chianti Classico ($25) 92 This Bibbiano annata reveals an expressive bouquet of plum and cherry with nuances of spice and herbs. The medium weight palate shows good balance and concentrated red fruit married to savory elements. Finishes with excellent persistence. Bibbiano 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva 93 This wine is classic Chianti Classico. There’s dark cherry fruit along with notes of tobacco leaf and herbs. The firmly structured palate is full and densely packed with captivatingly sweet fruit. Finishes with good length. A delicious wine from an outstanding vintage. Bibbiano 2021 Vigna del Capannino Gran Selezione Castellina ($50) 94 The Vigna del Capannino was Bibbiano’s first Gran Selezione. The 2021 vintage is in character with previous vintages we’ve tasted dating back to 2010. It’s a big wine with a dark fruited base complemented by nuances of all-spice, flowers, and underbrush. It has a layered, suave mouth feel. Finishes long and rich. The 7 ha Vigna del Capannino is planted only to Sangiovese Grosso vines planted in 1956 and 2005-2009. These vines are massale selections of the original ones that Giulio Gambelli brought from Montalcino. It has calcareous clay soils with deep layers of alberese. Bibbiano 2021 Vigne di Montornello Gran Selezione Castellina 96 This is a superb Gran Selezione from its penetrating, vibrant bouquet to the elegant, impressively deep and layered palate and grippingly fresh and persistent finish. In the mouth, it’s suave, pure and balanced, almost a liquid perfume. The 13 ha Montornello vineyard, named after the Montornello woodlands at the bottom of the valley, 
has very loose, smooth soil with yellow and red clays, limestone, and pebbles. Given the cooler, northeast exposure of Montornello, it is usually harvested 7-10 days after Vigna del Capannino. Bibbiano 2018 Bibbianccio IGT Toscano 93 Bibbianccio is a dark fruited, savory wine. It’s firmly structured with aromas and flavors of dark cherries and berries and savory notes of dried fruit, balsamic, and earthy spices. A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 45% Colorino, and 5% Malvasia Bianca and Trebbiano fermented in open botti and aged 24 months in barriques. 14.5% alc.
