PALEO
2021 Rosso Le Macchiole
Fragrant, pepper, mulberry, blueberries, chocolate and tobacco. Bright and succulent, deeply fruited, blueberries and mulberry, tobacco and pepper.L&S (Apr 2025)
75cl bottles (case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Le Macchiole's iconic Paleo has evolved from a Bordeaux-style blend into a unique single-variety expression of Tuscany's coastline. This pioneering 100% Cabernet Franc is sourced from three estate vineyards and ferments for 25 days in concrete tanks before spending 16 months in new oak barrels, conical trunk casks and stoneware amphorae. In the glass it's sublime, showing wild blackberries, blood orange, black cherry and thick herbal shrub characters. Lilting wild flowers, bitter chocolate and espresso balance nicely alongside dusty tannins. It's a thinking, fireside wine with impressive ageing potential. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 98 Isobel Salaman, Decanter (May 2025)
The 2021 Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Franc) soars out of the glass with high-toned Franc aromatics. Crushed red-toned fruit, blood orange, espresso, mocha, licorice and exotic spice infuse the palate with a notable textural intensity that builds over time. Paleo Rosso typically needs a few years in bottle to blossom. I expect that will be the case here as well. It’s an impressive wine from Le Macchiole. Aging was 16 months, mostly in low-toast French oak barrels, with a touch (4%) of stoneware amphora. Drinking range: 2029 - 2046 Rating: 97+ Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate (Dec 2024)
Paleo has been 100% Cabernet Franc since 2001 and helped to cement Le Macchiole's reputation as innovators. The 2021 is a blend of three plots out of a possible eight, vinified separately in concrete with a 30-day maceration. Ageing is mostly in new barriques, with 7% in ceramic ‘tava’. ‘You have to pay attention to the extraction,’ notes owner, Cinzia Merli. There's certainly plenty of concentration here, but the wine is characterised by precision rather than power, with breezy aromas of black cherry, dark hedgerow berries and herbs joined by a cool touch of sous bois. Overall intense, bright and juicy, the densely packed core of damson and black cherry is supported by fine, dusty tannins, with dark chocolate and floral notes on the fresh, lifted finish. Class. To be released in February 2025. Drinking range: 2025 - 2041 Rating: 96 James Button, Decanter (Aug 2024)
The 2021 Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Franc) soars out of the glass with high-toned Franc aromatics. Crushed red-toned fruit, blood orange, espresso, mocha, licorice and exotic spice infuse the palate with a notable textural intensity that builds over time. Paleo Rosso typically needs a few years in bottle to blossom. I expect that will be the case here as well. It’s an impressive wine from Le Macchiole. Aging was 16 months, mostly in low-toast French oak barrels, with a touch (4%) of stoneware amphora. Drinking range: 2029 - 2046 Rating: 97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2024)
In many ways, this bottle best represents the modern face of Bolgheri. I am referring to the chapter that starts after the international success of the so-called "aia" wines (Sassicaia and Ornellaia). In this new world, Coastal Tuscany faces new important challenges linked to climate change and competition from other celebrated Tuscan wine appellations. Debuted in 1989, what sets it apart is the choice of grape: Cabernet Franc. Paleo was a lone ranger back then, but today the percentage of new Cabernet Franc vineyards in the region is taking off at breakneck speed. But Le Macchiole was the first to work with it at this quality level. The 2021 Paleo is especially tight, intense and direct. These are characteristics of the vintage and of the house style. I tasted this vintage from barrel two years ago, and my remark was that the wine focuses on red and purple fruits as well as the black ones. This remains true now that the wine is in bottle. Those fruit tones cede to a floral interlude of heritage rose that leads to mulled spice and Turkish coffee. The 2021 vintage is slightly curbed or streamlined in terms of mouthfeel, holding back just a bit for extra tension and extremely elegant results. Drinking range: 2026 - 2050 Rating: 97 Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (www.robertparker.com) (Feb 2024)
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.
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Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information.
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2025 LATEST ITALIAN RELEASES OFFER FAQ
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