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Le Macchiole

Messorio 2018

Toscana IGT

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Messorio, a Merlot monovarietal, is the winery’s crown jewel. Its initial vintage was 1994, and since then it has received extraordinary acclaim, including a 100-point score from the Wine Spectator for the 2004 vintage. The name Messorio refers to the ancient Tuscan practice of wheat harvesting, the most important time of the year in the Bolgheri countryside – once it referred to wheat; these days, it is all about grape harvesting.

VINEYARD

The fruit for Messorio was sourced from the Vignone estate parcel. Yields are managed tightly through the use of low vigor rootstocks and drastic thinning of clusters.

WINEMAKING

After sorting and destemming, 1/3 of the grapes were vinified in concrete vats and the remaining part in steel. A regular fermentation process, long macerations, frequent pumping over and manual punching down and some quick cold soaks in the last few days gave a sweet-smelling and fresh wine, with noble and mouthfilling tannins and excellent complexity on the palate. In late October the wine was left to age in new oak barriques for 18 months, followed by 20 months in bottle.

VINTAGE

A winter with temperatures in the seasonal average range, rainfall which continued throughout the spring period and budbreak slightly late as compared with the previous year because of the below-average temperatures. The abundance of water and moisture in the soil, which had suffered from the previous year’s drought, and the rising of temperatures in early May caused the buds to burst and grow quickly. During the summer period, the soil was worked frequently and carefully in order to control excess soil moisture. In mid-July, green harvesting was performed, lessening the overall fruit load and improving the quality of that which remained. Harvesting began on schedule, in step with the “ordinary” vintages, starting with the white grapes harvested over the third week of August and ending on the third and fourth week of September with the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, all of good and excellent quality.

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Merlot

Appellation

Toscana IGT

Alcohol

14%

Reviews

97

"Black berry and black cherry flavors"

Wine Spectator - June 21, 2022 "This wine's main themes are plum, blackberry and black cherry flavors, with perfumed aromas and earth, iron, tobacco and dried herb accents. Dense, firm and dry on the finish, where a green, herbal element echoes." - B.S. 6/22

98

"Black olives and currants"

James Suckling - June 21, 2022 “This is very complex, offering tobacco, brown sugar, black olives and currants. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and layered, with very fine tannins and a long, structured finish. Hints of new wood complement the long, cool fruit and phenolics.” - J.S. 2/2022

96

"Herbs de Provence, fresh plum"

Jeb Dunnuck - February 3, 2023

"There is a more reserved aromatic profile initially with the 2018 Messorio, but it is no less complex and unfolds with layers with wet stone, fresh herbes de Provence, red plum, red raspberry, and menthol. The palate is medium to full bodied and has a more linear approach that is attractive and lends energetic drive. A more compact wine at this stage, it will need time to open, although it is refreshing and has lovely mineral texture with a polished feel." —A.F 1/2023

 

Trade Materials

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Le Macchiole Messorio Bottle Shot

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