I adore this wine. Showing a light and brilliant golden-straw color with faint amber highlights, the 2015 Bugia is a strongly mineral-driven expression from the Giglio island off the Tuscan Coast. The spirit of this wine is greatly guided by marine sensations of powdered oyster shell, salt and white stone. There are distant hints of stone fruit and honeysuckle that add just enough sweetness to help this wine from being too dry and hollow. Bugia offers a dab of creaminess to ensure a lasting impression in the mouth. This is pure Ansonica from sandy soils overlooking the blue waters of the Mediterranean. It is aged in stainless steel with 10% in French oak. I would love to taste it again in five years.

The 2009 Bugia flows across the palate with elegant layers of fruit. Soft and textured throughout, the Bugia shows excellent finesse and length in a fairly ripe style for this wine. The finish is quite round, but also a touch heavy. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015. I am perplexed by this set of wines from Bibi Graetz. Quality is inconsistent throughout the range, most disappointingly in the higher end bottlings. Various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Trilussa Wine Company, Greenbrae CA; tel. (415) 499 8466, Siema Wines LLC, Springfield, VA; tel. (703) 455-1200, MS Walker, Sommerville, MA; tel. (617) 776-6700

The 2007 Bugia (Ansonica) is simply gorgeous in its almost Burgundian expression of fruit, minerals and French oak. The style is generous, yet well-articulated, with tons of class and a long, sublime finish. This is one of the small handful of Tuscan whites that commands serious attention. Bugia is made from old Ansonica 80 year-old vines on the Isola del Giglio. The wine is aged in a combination of equal parts steel, cement and French oak. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2017. I continue to be impressed with the beautiful wines of Bibi Graetz. These are highly singular, expressive wines that merit serious consideration. Various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Trilussa Wine Company, Greenbrae CA; tel. (415) 499 8466, Siema Wines LLC, Springfield, VA; tel. (703) 455-1200, MS Walker, Sommerville, MA; tel. (617) 776-6700

Graetz’s 2006 Bugia is a unique white made from the indigenous Ansonica grown on the Isola del Giglio, which lies just off the Tuscan coast. This soft, generous wine flows from the glass with intricate layers of sweet, perfumed fruit, showing remarkable finesse and silky, polished tannins. Bugia is one of the few Tuscan whites that is worth a special effort to find, and in 2006 the wine is truly beautiful. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. I continue to be impressed with the beautiful wines of Bibi Graetz. These are highly singular, expressive wines that merit serious consideration. Various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Trilussa Wine Company, Greenbrae CA; tel. (415) 499 8466, Siema Wines LLC, Springfield, VA; tel. (703) 455-1200, MS Walker, Sommerville, MA; tel. (617) 776-6700

This is a superb set of releases and I can’t recommend the wines highly enough. The estate’s 2004 Bugia is made from 100% Ansonica, an indigenous white varietal Graetz sources from 60-year old vines on the nearby Isola del Giglio. Intensely-flavored yet light on its feet, the wine offers layers of tropical fruit, jasmine, honey and sweet toasted oak on a soft-textured frame buttressed by a lively note of minerality. It should drink well to at least age ten. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2014. Importer: Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300