Pieropan's Calvarino proved Soave can age. Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave on basalt give a saline, almond-scented white with citrus drive and a stony finish. A benchmark single-vineyard Soave Classico, fine young and better at five years.
Grattamacco's flagship Bolgheri Superiore: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Sangiovese, aged 18 months in barrique on the organic Tuscan coast. Cassis, black cherry and tobacco over a fresh, mineral, tannic frame. From about 40 pounds.
Best price
£73.00Save 15%
2022 · 75cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 2 bottles
Prices read daily from 6 UK retailers.
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Where to buy Grattamacco
£73.00best price·5
retailers in stock
· checked 25 Oct 2026
Stock is shown where the retailer publishes it, offers are sorted by price, and unavailable offers can’t be clicked.
Vino.comBest priceSave 15%2022 · 75cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 2 bottlesCode WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
8winesBest price2022 · 75cl · checked 15 Oct · Delivery charged at checkoutCode NEWCUST8J: Enter NEWCUST8J to get £8 off with the minimum wine order of £88. Valid only for new customers, until 31 Dec 2027
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
8winesBest price2021 · 75cl · checked 18 Oct · Delivery charged at checkoutCode NEWCUST8J: Enter NEWCUST8J to get £8 off with the minimum wine order of £88. Valid only for new customers, until 31 Dec 2027
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
Vino.comBest priceSave 20%2021 · Magnum 150cl · checked 25 Oct · Free deliveryCode WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
Vino.comBest price2022 · Magnum 150cl · checked 25 Oct · Free deliveryCode WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
No current retailer offer matches that combination.
Unavailable (1)
Field & FawcettBest price2019 · 75cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery £9.99, or £14.99 for 3+ bottles, free on 4 bottles
Out of stock
£57.50£76.67/L
Out of stock
Stock status is read from each retailer’s page once a day and may lag. Case and magnum listings show a per-bottle or per-litre equivalent and sit outside the best-price figure.
Tasting Notes
How Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore tastes: cassis, tobacco, Tuscan grip
Grattamacco leads with cassis and black cherry over tobacco, leather and sweet spice, a profile drinkers return to year after year. It is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Sangiovese, aged 18 months in small French oak barrels on the salty Bolgheri coast.
Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial
Tasted on
12 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Typical of Cabernet Sauvignon
BodyLight / Full
TanninsSmooth / Grippy
SweetnessDry / Sweet
AciditySoft / Crisp
Nose
Grattamacco opens with cassis and black cherry lifted by tobacco, leather and a balsamic, spicy edge. That is the wine's aromatic signature, the one that comes back in every glass. Eighteen months in small French oak barrels add cedar and sweet spice over the fruit.
Violet
Black cherry
Blackcurrant
Plum
Tobacco
Leather
Oak
Liquorice
Vanilla
Palate
Austere and fresh on entry, it builds a warm, enveloping tannic structure at 14.5%. Black fruit, liquorice and a salty, stony core come off Bolgheri's clay, limestone and quartz-sand soils. The 15% Sangiovese sharpens the acidity that keeps the Cabernet weight in line.
Finish
The close is long and savoury. Balsamic and dried-herb notes trail the firm Cabernet tannin toward a stony, age-worthy finish.
Overall
This is Grattamacco's flagship, a structured organic Bolgheri Superiore that drinkers like year after year, with the 2018 and 2020 especially well liked. One of the zone's benchmarks, made for the cellar and the table more than a casual pour.
Best by 2038
Live UK pricing
Buying Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore in the UK
Two UK merchants stock it here: the 2022 from about 40 pounds at Millesima and 75 pounds at Berry Bros and Rudd, with the 2021 around 91 pounds. Every bottle is 750ml of Castagneto Carducci Cabernet, Merlot and Sangiovese.
Best price · 75 cl£73.00at Vino.com
Price spread · 75cl
£73.00 - £98.10 Across 5 UK retailers with 75cl in stock
Per-litre (75cl basis)£97.33Lowest current 75cl offer
Last checked25 Oct 2026Refreshed once every 24 hours
Other formats: 8 price lines
Magnum 150cl · 2017:
£188.00,
1 UK retailer
Magnum 150cl · 2018:
£171.00,
1 UK retailer
Magnum 150cl · 2021:
£181.00,
1 UK retailer
Magnum 150cl · 2022:
£181.00,
1 UK retailer
Double magnum 300cl · 2008:
£435.00,
1 UK retailer
Double magnum 300cl · 2009:
£435.00,
1 UK retailer
Double magnum 300cl · 2010:
£435.00,
1 UK retailer
Double magnum 300cl · 2020:
£288.00,
1 UK retailer
Wine fit score
Where Grattamacco fits: a cellar and occasion Bolgheri
Built for the table and the cellar more than a weeknight, this is a structured, 14.5% Cabernet-led Bolgheri Superiore. It scores high for food, ageing and occasion, and fairly for value given a UK entry around 40 pounds.
Best with food8.8/10
Firm Cabernet tannin, 14.5% body and Sangiovese-lifted acidity make it a benchmark partner for red meat, game and the Tuscan grill, though it overpowers delicate dishes.
Best for an occasion8.5/10
A historic Bolgheri benchmark from a 1977 estate, structured and prestigious enough for a celebration or a serious dinner.
Best for cellar8.0/10
Eighteen months in barrique, firm mineral tannin and a record of vintages drinking past a decade give real cellar potential, short of only the longest-lived Tuscans.
Best value7.0/10
At about 40 pounds for the 2022 it undercuts most benchmark Bolgheri Superiore given its Cabernet-led pedigree, solid value for the tier though not an everyday price.
Best intro to this style5.0/10
A polished but austere, tannic Super Tuscan at 14.5% and 40-plus pounds; rewarding yet not an easy first bottle for a new drinker.
Best everyday bottle2.2/10
Too structured, tannic and expensive at 40-plus pounds for everyday drinking; this is a weekend or special-meal bottle.
Two vintages sit together here. The 2022 ripened after an early-summer drought broke into late-season rain and was harvested to 24 September; the 2021 is the warmer, fuller year. Both are 14.5% and built on Cabernet Sauvignon from 25-year-old vines.
2023Current release
Best price
£88.00
Retailers
2 in stock
2022Previous release
Best price
£73.00
Retailers
6 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now
through 2038
An early-summer drought broke into late-season rain, letting the fruit regain balance before a harvest that ran to 24 September; a fresh, poised 2022 with firm tannin, to drink from the late 2020s.
2021Previous release
Best price
£82.00
Retailers
2 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now
through 2040
The warmer, fuller 2021 is a balanced, classic Bolgheri year giving a deeper, structured Grattamacco with ripe Cabernet fruit and firm tannin, built for the cellar.
2020Previous release
Best price
£288.00double magnum
Retailers
1 in stock
2020Previous release
Best price
£288.00double magnum
Retailers
1 in stock
2021Previous release
Best price
£82.00
Retailers
2 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now
through 2040
The warmer, fuller 2021 is a balanced, classic Bolgheri year giving a deeper, structured Grattamacco with ripe Cabernet fruit and firm tannin, built for the cellar.
2022Previous release
Best price
£73.00
Retailers
6 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now
through 2038
An early-summer drought broke into late-season rain, letting the fruit regain balance before a harvest that ran to 24 September; a fresh, poised 2022 with firm tannin, to drink from the late 2020s.
2023Current release
Best price
£88.00
Retailers
2 in stock
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
The disciplinare, the place, the label
Why Grattamacco is a Bolgheri benchmark
Founded in 1977 on a hill between Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri, Grattamacco was the first Bolgheri estate to fold a meaningful share of Sangiovese into its Superiore. Its 14 hectares are organic-certified, hand-harvested and worked at 100 to 200 metres above the Tyrrhenian.
01
DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Bolgheri is in the DOC tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
02
The denomination rules, in detail
Allowed grapes. 5 varieties listed in the disciplinare
Yield ceiling. 9.0 tonnes per hectare
Minimum ABV. 11.5% vol
Minimum ageing. No statutory minimum - producers release on their own schedule
Bolgheri DOCGeographic indication and quality tier
2023Vintage (year of harvest)
Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05
What sits behind the price of Grattamacco
Tracked from
£73.00
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
5 up / 1 down
Main factor
Old hillside Cabernet vines, organic, hand-harvested
01
Old hillside Cabernet vines, organic, hand-harvested
Cost up
Grattamacco's 14 hectares average 25-year-old vines, farmed organically and hand-picked at 100 to 200 metres, far costlier than machine-farmed flatland fruit.
02
18 months in French oak barriques
Cost up
Each vintage rests at least 18 months in small French oak barrels, around 30% new. That ties up capital and adds barrel cost long before a bottle is sold.
03
Saline Bolgheri Superiore terroir, low yields
Cost up
Bolgheri Superiore off the Castagneto Carducci coast is a name with prestige. The salty clay, limestone and quartz soils and low yields command a premium over generic Tuscan red.
04
Benchmark Grattamacco brand and demand
Cost up
A historic Bolgheri name since 1977 that drinkers like year after year. UK prices here run from about 40 pounds for the 2022 to 91 pounds for the 2021.
05
UK duty and VAT
Cost up
At 2026 rates UK still-wine duty is 2.67 pounds a bottle plus 20% VAT, roughly 9 pounds of tax on the 40-pound 2022 before any merchant margin.
06
Priced below Bolgheri's first growths
Cost down
Unlike Sassicaia or Ornellaia at several times the price, Grattamacco's regular Superiore starts near 40 pounds, a relative bargain among benchmark Bolgheri.
01
Old hillside Cabernet vines, organic, hand-harvested
Cost up
Grattamacco's 14 hectares average 25-year-old vines, farmed organically and hand-picked at 100 to 200 metres, far costlier than machine-farmed flatland fruit.
02
18 months in French oak barriques
Cost up
Each vintage rests at least 18 months in small French oak barrels, around 30% new. That ties up capital and adds barrel cost long before a bottle is sold.
03
Saline Bolgheri Superiore terroir, low yields
Cost up
Bolgheri Superiore off the Castagneto Carducci coast is a name with prestige. The salty clay, limestone and quartz soils and low yields command a premium over generic Tuscan red.
04
Benchmark Grattamacco brand and demand
Cost up
A historic Bolgheri name since 1977 that drinkers like year after year. UK prices here run from about 40 pounds for the 2022 to 91 pounds for the 2021.
05
UK duty and VAT
Cost up
At 2026 rates UK still-wine duty is 2.67 pounds a bottle plus 20% VAT, roughly 9 pounds of tax on the 40-pound 2022 before any merchant margin.
06
Priced below Bolgheri's first growths
Cost down
Unlike Sassicaia or Ornellaia at several times the price, Grattamacco's regular Superiore starts near 40 pounds, a relative bargain among benchmark Bolgheri.
Food Pairing
Cabernet structure and Tuscan acidity: dishes that fit Grattamacco
Firm Cabernet tannin, 14.5% warmth and bright Sangiovese acidity point to red meat and the Tuscan grill. Bistecca alla fiorentina is the home match; herb-crusted lamb and slow-braised beef work just as well.
Tannin softeningStrong match
Bistecca alla fiorentina meets Cabernet tannin
The char and fat of a rare Tuscan T-bone bind Grattamacco's firm Cabernet tannin so the grip reads as velvet. The wine's Sangiovese acidity then cuts through the richness of the beef.
Try with: Fiorentina steak · Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · More pairings →
Aromatic bridgeStrong match
Herb-crusted lamb and the wine's balsamic edge
Cabernet Sauvignon and rosemary-crusted lamb is a classic match. Grattamacco's dried-herb and balsamic notes bridge to the herb crust, while its tannin carves through the fat of the roast.
Try with: Rack of lamb · Leg of lamb · Lamb shank · More pairings →
Fat cuttingGood match
Acidity through roast beef and game
The fresh, Sangiovese-lifted acidity beneath the Cabernet weight slices the braising fat of a Sunday roast and the gaminess of venison, refreshing the palate between forkfuls.
At 14.5% with an enveloping tannic structure, the wine matches the weight of a rich lamb ragu or a truffle-and-porcini primo rather than being flattened by it. This is the pasta pairing we would reach for first.
Try with: Agnello Ragu Lucano · Tagliatelle al tartufo di Acqualagna · Porcini mushroom risotto · More pairings →
Salt balanceGood match
Tannin and salt: aged Tuscan pecorino
The firm Cabernet tannin and stony acidity carve through a salty, aged pecorino, while the savoury cheese softens the grip. A classic Tuscan close to the meal.
Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · Aged pecorino · Parmigiano Reggiano · More pairings →
AvoidClash
Skip fiery heat and oily fish
At 14.5% with grippy Cabernet tannin, Grattamacco amplifies chilli burn and turns metallic against oily or raw fish. Keep it away from vindaloo, fierce Sichuan heat and sushi.
Eighteen months in French oak barrels and a firm, stony, tannic frame make this a wine to keep. The 2018 and 2020 are much liked, and older Grattamacco vintages still show well. So the 2021 and 2022 reward five to ten-plus years in the cellar.
Decanting
1 hour
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
Serving temperature
16-18°C
Aim for the cooler end on a warm day; warmer end opens up more aromatics.
Cellar potential
High
Eighteen months in barrique, firm mineral tannin and a record of vintages drinking past a decade give real cellar potential, short of only the longest-lived Tuscans.
Buy now or wait?
Buy now
£73.00 for a 75cl bottle of the 2022, at Vino.com, is the best price we track, and we have no signal of further discounting.
Sources & trust
Sources behind this Grattamacco page
Prices & stock
Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day.
Last refresh: 25 Oct 2026, 03:12 BST.
We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.
Confidence · High
Tasting notes
Drawn from published drinker ratings, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing
From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs
Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential
Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · Medium
Related
Grattamacco, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bolgheri connections
It is the flagship red of the Grattamacco estate, a Bolgheri Rosso Superiore DOC blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese. The estate near Castagneto Carducci was founded in 1977, farms organically and ages the wine 18 months in small French oak barrels.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese. Grattamacco was the first Bolgheri estate to fold a significant share of Sangiovese into its Superiore, giving the wine extra aromatic lift and ageing potential.
Red meat and the Tuscan grill: bistecca alla fiorentina, herb-crusted or roast lamb, slow-braised beef, game such as venison, rich ragu and aged pecorino. Its firm tannin and fresh acidity cut through fat and protein.
Eighteen months in French oak barrels and a firm, stony, tannic frame give real cellar potential. The current 2021 and 2022 reward five to ten-plus years, and older vintages still drink well; the 2018 and 2020 are especially well liked.
On a hill between Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, from vineyards at 100 to 200 metres above the Tyrrhenian Sea. The salty clay, limestone and quartz-sand soils and sea breezes shape its stony character.
The bottles listed here run from about 40 pounds for the 2022 at Millesima up to 75 pounds at Berry Bros and Rudd, with the 2021 around 91 pounds. All are 750ml.
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Prices and stock are read from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Outbound buy links carry rel="nofollow sponsored noopener". The list is sorted by price; we do not accept payment for placement.
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