Emanuele Graetz: Championing high calibre wines

As the founder of Isola delle Falcole and Viteoak Wine Selection, Emanuele Graetz is quickly making a name for himself as a passionate advocate for terroir and visionary entrepreneur with a deep respect for tradition.

In 2016, with partners Alessandro Mannelli (cellar master) and Niccolò Righini (vineyard manager), Graetz created Isola delle Falcole, which harbours 4.6 hectares of estate vineyards in Greve in Chianti, on the border between the villages of Panzano and Montefioralle.

Additionally, through his company Viteoak Wine Selection, Graetz collaborates with high-calibre Italian wineries and French Champagne producers, offering them tailored commercial strategies to establish and enhance their presence in North American markets.

Decanter caught up with Graetz while he was on the wine trail in California:

What inspired the founding Isola delle Falcole in Chianti Classico? And what unique characteristics do the vineyards’ high elevations contribute to your wines?

Emanuele Graetz (EG): The inspiration came from Burgundy, Champagne, and Piedmont, where growers truly cultivate their land with the goal of capturing its unique characteristics in each bottle. It’s not a business or entrepreneurial endeavour—it’s a work of passion and dedication, rooted in a deep respect for the land we love.

Our vines are planted at 520 metres on south-east exposure in galestro soils. The elevation helps maintain freshness, acidity, and aromatic intensity in our wines. Frost is rare at higher elevations due to the lack of humidity, and the risk of mildew—common during the intense summer showers we’ve started experiencing in our region—is significantly reduced.

You make IGT Toscana blends and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG wines. How do these categories reflect the versatility of your estate and your ambitions for Sangiovese?

EG: While we produce IGT wines (largely due to bureaucratic constraints), I am deeply committed to and supportive of our DOCG appellation. I hope to eventually add a Chianti Classico Annata to our portfolio. However, for now, Gran Selezione is my main focus. It is the tool that can protect small growers from large corporations, giving us the opportunity to invest in quality and showcase our true terroir—something wine lovers value and are willing to pay for. For me, Gran Selezione is central to both my personal vision and the future of Chianti Classico.

As the founder of Viteoak Wine Selection, how do you curate wines for export, and could you share insights into standout labels in your portfolio?

EG: At Viteoak, our focus is on supporting growers and their philosophies, not simply trading wines with commercial appeal. Our portfolio blends established names with emerging talents. We’re proud to support iconic producers in the world’s most important wine market, like Roberto Voerzio in La Morra and Jacopo Biondi Santi Castello di Montepò in Toscana, while also championing small, lesser-known growers, like Il Molino di Grace in Toscana and Giusti Wine from Veneto, whose exceptional quality deserves recognition. These growers, often overlooked, now thrive because of the faith and energy we invest in them.

Discover a full list of Viteoak growers here.

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A selection of Graetz’s wines currently making a splash in the US market

Piedmont

Agricola Molino, Teorema, Barbaresco 2021
94pts
Founded in 1991 by Virginio Molino, the winery is located in Treiso and owns approximately 14 hectares of vineyards. Today, Marco Molino helms the cellar and vineyards. Beautifully expressive cherry fruit, graphite, liquorice, sandalwood, and pressed flowers. A wonderfully focused and linear red with taut tannins and crunchy, citrusy acidity. Aged 18 months in wood. Alc 14.5%

Agricola Molino, Ausario, Barbaresco 2021
94pts
The Molino Ausario was aged for 16 months in barriques and demi-muids. Aromas of dusty cherry rise from the glass, complemented by cedar spices, pine forest, and cocoa nibs. Medium-bodied with expressive, firm tannins, it is balanced by plush cherry and blood orange notes that enrich the mid-palate. The wine shows impressive intensity, finishing long with bright acidity and tension.
Alc 14.5%

Alberto Voerzio, Castagni, Barolo 2020
96pts
This silky, polished red is from a biodynamically farmed 1.7 hectare cru in La Morra. Vibrant layers of macerated cherries, pepper, flamed orange peel, sweet tobacco, and sage. Robust tannins frame a deeply flavourful and rich mid-palate, and the finish is tension-filled and elegant. Aged 24 months in 25% new French oak.
Alc 14%

Roberto Voerzio, Barolo 2020
96pts
The 2020 Barolo from Roberto Voerzio is lifted, bright and focused featuring expressive cherry and cedarwood, pine, white pepper, coriander, and wet slate. Medium bodied with firm tannins and bright acids with blood orange and a hint of cocoa powder on the lengthy finish. Beautiful tension and structure.
Alc 14.%

Roberto Voerzio, Nebbiolo 2022
94pts
This is considered the entry-level wine in the Roberto Voerzio portfolio. Native ferment in stainless and aged 12 months in 25-hectolitre oak barrels. Bright and vivid aromas of ripe red cherries, crushed raspberries, and delicate florals, underscored by whispers of spice and earthy nuances. On the palate, it delivers a refined balance of fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity, showcasing medium-bodied elegance with a core of fresh red fruit and a touch of savoury complexity. The finish lingers gracefully, offering a bright, harmonious expression that is both approachable and capable of evolving with time. It pairs well with a variety of dishes, including pasta with meat sauces, roasted poultry, and aged cheeses.
Alc 13.5%

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Veneto

Giusti, Umberto I, Montello Rosso Superiore 2021
96pts
Crafted by Graziana Grassini, the esteemed winemaker behind Sassicaia, this flagship red is vibrant and poised, leading with bright red berries, Mediterranean herbs, and loamy earth. Stylish and expressive, it balances silky tannins with an electric acid tension.
Alc 13.5%

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Montello e Colli Asolani 2019
95pts
A rich, fragrant, and full-bodied Amarone della Valpolicella, offering a wonderfully plush mouthfeel and luscious, silky tannins. The wine bursts with ripe kirsch, dusty rose, and brown baking spices, all beautifully balanced by a vibrant spine of juicy acidity that maintains freshness and energy. The finish is impressively long and focused, delivering depth and complexity without any hint of cloying sweetness. A masterfully balanced and indulgent Amarone.
Alc 16.5%

Giusti, Augusto Recantina, Montello e Colli Asolani 2020
93pts
This red wine is crafted from the Recantina grape, grown in the clay and iron-rich soils of the Montello Hills on the Giusti estate. It is aged for 12 months in Slovenian oak, resulting in a beautifully expressive wine. It evolves in the glass, revealing vibrant violet aromatics, warm baking spices, a subtle hint of clove, dusty mineral tones, and savoury notes of black liquorice and black olives. Medium-bodied and pleasantly meaty, it features satiny tannins that frame the wine elegantly, leading to a long, perfumed finish layered with pressed roses, violets, and lilacs. A refined and captivating expression of the Recantina grape.
Alc 13%

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Tuscany

Ernesto Catena, On the Road SR69 2021
92pts
A blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, and 25% Sangiovese, sourced from an old vineyard along SR69, the historic road connecting Florence to Arezzo. A heady mix of tart red fruit and mocha spices lifts from the glass, complemented by wet stone minerality. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it offers grippy tension and a savoury intensity, with notes of black olive and liquorice. Firm, muscular tannins provide structure, while a saline-rich finish is lifted by blood orange acidity. A bold and characterful Tuscan red with depth and energy.
Alc 14%.

Chioccioli, AltoRe 2019
93pts
Fragrant black cherry and cassis aromas intertwine with notes of tobacco, dark fine cacao, and a subtle salted edge. This wine is fermented on the skins in amphora before ageing for 18 months in French oak prior to release. Medium- to full-bodied, it features super firm tannins scented with redwood bark, providing structure and depth. A bright acid and saline-mineral finish add lift and precision, making this a bold yet refined expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Alc 14.5%

Chioccioli, Carismante 2019
93pts
This medium- to full-bodied Gran Selezione offers ripe plum fruit alongside mocha notes and blue fruit aromatics. Crunchy cherry skin character adds vibrancy, complemented by tinges of Mediterranean herbs, toasty oak spices, and a subtle cherry pit nuance on the finish. A structured and expressive wine with depth and refinement.
Alc 14.5%

Chioccioli, Pirocanto 2023
91pts
A white blend of 40% Trebbiano, 40% Ansonica, and 20% Malvasia, this wine is hand-harvested in small crates and fermented on skins and seeds in amphora before settling in tank. Focused, linear, and crunchy, it showcases beautiful dried fruit character, honeycomb, with notes of apricots and white peach. Hints of chamomile tea and sandalwood add depth, while gentle tannins from the skin contact provide structure. The finish is fragrant and spicy, rounding out this expressive and textural white wine.
Alc 13%

Valentino Ciarla, Baciate Me 2021
91pts
100% Canaiolo, sourced from certified organic vineyards with old vines over 50 years old. This wine underwent 10 days of skin maceration before ageing in stainless steel and concrete. Bright, fresh and energetic with bursting with lovely candied berry fruit and an explosion of pomegranate seed character. Medium-bodied with a bright acid and saline lift, it finishes with a firm yet suave dusting of tannins and hints of brown spices. A beautifully fresh and vibrant expression of Canaiolo.
Alc 13.5%

Cupano, Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino 2020
97pts
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino from Cupano is a stunning wine, aged for 38 months in a combination of barriques and 500-litre barrels, primarily using neutral wood. Exceptionally approachable and balanced in its youth, it boasts high natural acidity that supports silky tannins, ripe fruit, and admirable restraint. Aromas of white truffle, tobacco, and cedar intertwine with subtle hints of pine and mint. Elegance and refinement define this wine, making it a truly remarkable Brunello.
Alc 15%

Cupano, Sant’ Antimo Ombrone Rosso, Brunello di Montalcino 2020
97pts
Ombrone from Cupano is a distinguished red wine from the Sant’Antimo DOC in Tuscany. The blend comprises 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 20% Sangiovese. The wine undergoes cold maceration with natural yeast fermentation, followed by 12 months of aging in barriques. Bottling takes place no earlier than two years after harvest, without filtration, to preserve its natural character. Aromas of white pepper, leather, candied violets, sandalwood, and black liquorice lead to a super-dense, concentrated core of blueberry fruit. Youthful, tense tannins provide structure, while high-toned clove and smoky mineral notes emerge on the long, rich finish.
Alc 14.%

Isola delle Falcole, Le Falcole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
96pts
Sourced from southeast-facing slopes at 520 metres, with vines rooted in galestro soils, this 100% Sangiovese was aged for 30 months in French and Slovenian oak. With a limited production of just 3,100 bottles, it is an absolutely polished and expressive wine, delivering mind-blowing intensity, tension, and overall balance. Bright, brisk acidity frames a core of vibrant red berry fruit, blood orange, and sweet Mediterranean herbs and spices. Pure rose petal and violet aromatics add lift and refinement. The length is fantastic, and this is a wine built for the cellar. Best enjoyed from 2026, with the potential to evolve beautifully for decades.
Alc 14.5%

Isola delle Falcole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020
95pts
Sourced from dark red galestro soils, this 100% Sangiovese is aged 30 months in French and Slovenian oak, striking a balance between freshness and depth. Medium to full-bodied, it offers an invigorating profile of dusty cherry, rose petal, and crushed slate, layered with graphite, wild herbs, blackberry, tobacco, and sandalwood. A beautifully expressive Gran Selezione with tension and refinement.
Alc 14.5%

Isola delle Falcole, Vecchia Vigna 2022
95pts
This medium-bodied blend—70% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 5% Malvasia, and 5% Trebbiano—was fermented with native yeast and aged for 18 months in large tonneaux. A beautifully built, sturdy, and complex wine with a focused, lengthy tannic structure and a firm spine of crunchy acidity. Elegance reigns supreme, with cherry fruit laced with sweet Mediterranean herbs, tobacco, liquorice, pomegranate, and blood orange. The finish is long, marked by wet stone and chalky minerality, while a kiss of balsamic-scented red fruit and florals adds lift and refinement. A striking and expressive Tuscan blend.
Alc 14.5%

Isola delle Falcole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019
94pts
Seductive and structured, this medium-bodied red is framed by angular, gripping tannins alongside vibrant Bing cherry, strawberry, and raspberry compote. Toasty cedarwood and nuances of dried Mediterranean herbs, graphite, rose water, and mocha add complexity to its lingering finish.
Alc 14%

Isola delle Falcole, Vecchia Vigna 2021
94pts
Bright and lifted, this medium-bodied blend of 70% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 5% Malvasia, and 5% Trebbiano offers high-toned aromas of Bing cherry, graphite, sweet tobacco, clove, and dried rose petal. Fermented with native yeasts, it carries taut, racy acidity that drives freshness and energy.
Alc 14.5%

Isola delle Falcole, Vecchia Vigna 2020
93pts
This medium-bodied blend of 70% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 5% Malvasia, and 5% Trebbiano is fermented with native yeasts and aged 18 months in large tonneaux. Fragrant notes of Bing cherry, mingle with graphite, tobacco, and charcuterie. Saline-mineral-focused acidity frames this deeply flavourful red.
Alc 14%

Isola delle Falcole, Aurè 2022
92pts
Vibrant and polished, this 100% Merlot is fermented with native yeast and aged 18 months in French barriques, allowing its purity of fruit to shine. Super fresh and inviting, it unfolds with ripe plum, aromatic herbs, and red florals, supported by round, supple tannins. The bright, angular acidity lifts everything, balancing the wine’s natural richness.
Alc 14.5%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Fontecanese 2019
98pts
Fontecanese is the term used to refer to the terroir that influences the Cabernet Sauvignon vines from which this wine comes, planted on galestro soils at 1,236 feet in elevation on the Montepò estate. Fermented with native yeast, it is imminently fresh and balanced between fruit, herbs, saline mineral notes, and acid tension. Pure black fruit and spiced plums mingle with cherry, blackberry, cassis, wild fennel, cigar box, and five-spice powder. Full-bodied with extremely fine, powdery tannins and unimaginable length. Exceptional and cellarworthy.
Alc 14%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Maceone 2019
98pts
The Maceone is more giving and inviting today and is a viscerally thrilling red comprised entirely of the BBS 11 Sangiovese clone, planted on galestro soils between 268 and 304 metres. Native yeast fermentation and ageing in T5 barriques reveal an absolutely enticing nose that, with a bit of aeration, brings a cacophony of darkberry flavours to the surface, along with red currants, cigar box, tea leaves, black liquorice, and expressive garrigue notes. A splendid medium- to full-bodied core of crushed stone minerals supports pure blackberry and black cherry fruits, spiced plums, sandalwood, and unsmoked tobacco, all caressed by polished, satiny tannins and framed by a firm spine of juicy acidity.
Alc 15%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Maceone 2020
98pts
Vibrant, spicy, and tightly wound, this 100% Sangiovese Grosso BBS11 is both brooding and complex, offering layers of Bing cherry, black raspberry, and sappy cedarwood, dusted with ground espresso, toffee, and savoury charcuterie. On the palate, its super-dense structure is defined by granulated, chewy tannins, firm and even chocolatey, giving way to a medley of dried sage, cardamom, tart cranberry, tangerine peel, truffle, and liquorice. Bursting with energy, this wine has the tension and depth for long-term cellaring.
Alc 14.5%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Poggio Ferro 2019
97pts
Poggio Ferro is a south-facing plot of Sangiovese planted between 1,056 and 1,130 feet in elevation. Also fermented with native yeast, this expression boasts the seamless integration of cedar with light toast from aging in Stockinger/ Taransaud barrels. Red cherry, spiced plum, blood orange peel, dried rose petal, and rooibos tea meld with lovely notes of crushed stones and velvet-textured tannins. Grilled herbs and dark chocolate emerge on the long finish of iron and stone. Beautiful, compact, and remarkable.
Alc 14%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Poggio Ferro 2020
97pts
A dazzling interplay of Bing cherry, pomegranate, and blood orange lifts from the glass, layered with white pepper, shaved black truffle, and a whisper of wild herbs. The medium-bodied palate commands attention—powerful yet poised, with ultra-fine tannins that grip and release in waves. Depth and intensity unfold on the midpalate, where crushed cocoa nibs, dried rose petals, and a touch of saffron weave into the wine’s brooding fruit core. A spine of vibrant acidity keeps it fresh, carrying through to a long, structured finish. Statuesque, radiant, and built to age, this is a cellar-worthy stunner. 100% Sangiovese Grosso BBS11.
Alc 14.5%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Fontecanese 2020
96pts
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon exudes remarkable compactness and tension, offering tantalising glimpses of its future potential. Alluring blackberry, raspberry, and plum intertwine with high-toned herbal notes that crackle with vibrancy, while elegant cedarwood and dark chocolate enrich the medium- to full-bodied palate. Juicy, vivid fruit imparts a natural sweetness, reminiscent of freshly picked blackberries and ripe cherries. Chiselled tannins with a saline-sappy quality. Nuances of black truffle, rooibos tea, and Mediterranean herbs are expressive on the length finish.
Alc 15%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, JeT Sangiovese Rosato 2023
95pts
Vibrant and intricately detailed, this unoaked wine delivers a dynamic mix of cherry, strawberry, watermelon, and plum. Its impressive depth defies its youth, with a firm spine of racy acidity and striking purity of fruit, all wrapped in a beautifully taut, tension-driven structure.
Alc 13.5%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Sassoalloro Oro 2020
95pts
Sourced from the southeast-facing Aia di Clemente parcel, this elegantly structured wine undergoes warm ferments. Aged in barrique and large Taransaud barrels for six to eight months. Layers of red currant, cherry, and cherrywood are wrapped in warm baking spice, with fine-grained tannins and superb mineral tension lending focus and depth.
Alc 14%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Schidione 2019
95pts
Aromatic and expressive, this wine bursts with forest berries, sandalwood, and mocha. Dried sage and wild scrub lend a lifted, herbal edge. Medium-bodied with superfine tannins providing grip, while energetic acidity drives a long, mineral-acid finish. Made only in the best vintages and aged 20 months in barrique. 40% Sangiovese Grosso BBS11, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot.
Alc 14%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Schidione 2020
94pts
Bing cherry, plum, tobacco, and white pepper emerge on a medium-bodied palate, layered with brooding dark fruit and muscular tannins. Wet stone minerality underscores the wine’s depth, adding tension and precision to its powerful structure.
Alc 15%

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepò, Sassoalloro 2022
93pts
Aged for 14 months in barrique, this 100% Sangiovese Grosso BBS11 is bold yet refined, bursting with ripe boysenberry, blood orange, and graphite. Velvety tannins frame layers of dried rose petal and liquorice, adding depth to its compact, power-packed structure.
Alc 13.5%

Il Molino di Grace, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021
94pts
A fragrant, elegant, and well-structured red wine, this Chianti Classico Riserva leads with dusty red berry fruit, black cassis, sandalwood, and heady violet and rose aromatics. Medium-bodied on the palate, it offers pure fruit concentration backed by a bright core of stony minerality and cassis, with firm tannins providing structure. Plenty of tension and lift carry through to a refined and expressive finish.
Alc 14%

Il Molino di Grace, Gratius 2021
94pts
Crafted from a single hillside site at 580 metres. This blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, and 5% Colorino was aged for 12 months in large tonneaux with some French barrique. Fragrant black cherry and black currant fruit intertwine with sandalwood aromatics, building on a sturdy, well-structured medium-bodied palate. Firm tannins provide power and length, gradually revealing bright floral tones and sweet herbs and liquorice on the extended finish. A beautifully balanced and expressive wine with depth and energy.
Alc 14.5%

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Sparkling wines

Giusti, Asolo Prosecco Superiore Brut, Treviso, Italy NV
92pts
A bright clean, crisp and focused Prosecco Superiore Brut with a medium body and rich creamy mousse, balanced by crunchy green and yellow apple, with a chalky mineral finish. Owned by Joe Giusti, the estate is about 45 minutes outside of Venice in the Montello Hills, Asolo.
Alc 11%

Champagne Yves Ruffin, Cuvée Racines Extra Brut Premier Cru, Champagne, France NV 
94pts
Features French pastry and creamy citrus fruit enhanced by a rich mousse. Layers of baked orchard fruit, croissant, and black truffle unfold with remarkable depth, while bright acid-mineral tension carries through to a long, refined finish. 73.5% Chardonnay and 26.5% Pinot Noir. Dosage of 3 g/L.
Alc 12%.

Champagne Carole Haudot, Parcellaire Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France NV
95pts
So enticing with rich buttered croissant and lemon custard nuanced by seaspray minerality. Expansive on the palate featuring a rich core of yellow apple, quince, and cool wet river stones on the sweet-spiced finish. Rich, yet light on its feet with nice acid tension.
Alc 12%

Scores were generated as part of a non-blind tasting conducted in downtown Napa at Viteoak partner offices for the purposes of the advertorial.

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