2017 MESSORIO Le Macchiole, Lea & Sandeman

MESSORIO

2017 Le Macchiole

Grapes Merlot
Colour Red
Origin Italy, Tuscany
Other Practising Organic
District Maremma
ABV 14.5%

A wine of texture and structure, the 2017 Messorio is deeply impressive. It is not simply that they have delivered a wine of substance and charm - so hard to find in a vintage plagued by heat spikes and drought. This is more than that, its a wine that transcends those issues its a truly sophisticated release and illustrates, in one sip, what great form this prized estate is on.
Densely packed for now - the 2017 Messorio is loaded with beautifully sculpted dark fruit. Damson and cassis. Gentle cooking spices. Restrained for sure - a whiff of earth and the gentlest note of charred meat. The savour is perfectly matched with the deep fruit core. Grace and compact detail are the hallmarks here - and that mouthfeel is mind-boggling. It will be a treat to see this wine again in 8-10 years time - although there is much to love almost immediately. Bravo. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 L&S (Mar 2021)


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Merlot. From vines an average of 25 years old. Two parcels. Fermented in concrete and aged 18 months in new French oak. Deep garnet. Smoky oak notes without obvious oak sweetness. Peppery and spicy dark fruit. Distinctive savoury style of Merlot. More obvious oak sweetness on the palate, thick firm tannins. Still very youthful, but I wonder if the oak will ever become subservient to the fruit. For oak lovers. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030 Rating: 17 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Jul 2024)

A beam of black cherry and blackberry permeates this red, accented by wild rosemary, thyme, iron and oak spice. Beautifully balanced and graceful, this should begin to hit its stride in two to three years, once the oak is absorbed. Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2040. Drinking range: 2023 - 2040 Rating: 94 Bruce Sanderson, The Wine Spectator (Jun 2021)

The 2017 Messorio (100% Merlot) is classy and polished to the core. It is also incredibly young and not at all forthcoming. Messorio is a wine that needs a surprising amount of time in bottle to truly shine. I expect that will be the case here as well. Today, the 2017 is all about fruit and density. Time in the cellar should allow for its aromatics to emerge more fully. Overall, though, this is a fairly restrained style, in keeping with the showing of 2017 Bolgheri reds more broadly. All the elements come together so gracefully in this striking wine. Production is down around 20%. Drinking range: 2025 - 2037 Rating: 95+ Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate (Jan 2021)

Le Macchiole

Initially put onto the wine map by Eugenio Campolmi in 1983, the Le Macchiole estate has been run by his wife Cinzia since 2002. In the heart of Bolgheri, with 22 hectares of vineyard over much of the best soils of the region these are, along with the Sassicaia and Ornellaia's vineyards, also among the oldest and most established vines in Bolgheri. Their careful selection of grape varieties and cultivation techniques according to climate and soil has led them to concentrate on Merlot, Syrah and most importantly Cabernet Franc, a variety which can express itself so well in the hands of Le Macchiole.

All of their wines are marked by a unique and unmistakable character. Full bodied wines, and yet with clean and elegant flavours, leading to great freshness and finesse, they are incredibly sought after world-wide. The estate has been organic since 2002, and they are experimenting with biodynamics.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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