Messorio Merlot Toscana IGT - Le Macchiole - 2014

75 cl

Robert Parker: 92 points

Alcohol content: 14.5% vol.

Grape varieties: 100% Merlot

Vinifiaktion:

Fermentation and maceration for 25 days in concrete, maturation for 18 months in new oak barrels.

Tasting note:

The 2014 Messorio (100% Merlot) was a bit shy and slow to open up when I tasted it as a barrel sample about eight months before this tasting. I can't say that the wine has opened up much since then. It continues to show a dense and slightly austere bouquet with dark fruits, spices and leather. The very soft side of the grape variety does not emerge. Instead, this Merlot appears somewhat thorny and prickly in places due to the much cooler growing conditions. The mouthfeel is less opulent and complex than the warmer vintages we have experienced in the past. This wine will definitely not be ready to drink for a few years.

The renowned, iconic winery Le Macchiole is one of the true pioneers and leading lights of the Tuscan wine region Bolgheri.

Region: The vineyard is situated on the famous Bolgherese Provincial Road in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci (Tuscany) on the Etruscan Coast.

Floors: The vineyards extend across a variety of small, fragmented micro-terroirs. The soils are predominantly deep, loamy-sandy and calcareous, with a fine, substantial mineral structure.

Climate: A maritime climate, with protective hills behind and cooling sea breezes from the coast, which promotes the perfect and even ripening of the grapes.

Founded: In 1983, by the young Eugenio Campolmi and his wife Cinzia Merli launched.

Today’s guided tour: Following the far too early death of the founder, Eugenio (2002), his widow took over Cinzia Merli sole management. Today, she runs the family business together with her sons Elia and Mattia.

Status: Thanks to Cinzia’s uncompromising commitment to quality, Le Macchiole has become a global icon in the Falstaff Guide and has, amongst other accolades, already been named „Winery of the Year“ in Italy.

The „House of Monovitigni“: Whilst Bolgheri is primarily known for Bordeaux blends, Le Macchiole took the radical decision to produce its top wines strictly single-varietal (single-varietal) in order to highlight the terroir as much as possible through the use of a single grape variety.

Finesse rather than sheer power: Over the years, the style has evolved from full-bodied, wood-dominated wines towards extreme Precision, finesse and elegance ...has been developed. A deliberately smaller proportion of new oak is used in order to preserve the freshness and vibrancy of the fruit.

Organic farming: The approximately 24 hectares of vineyards (with a very high planting density for deep-rooted vines) have been consistently cultivated for many years according to biological principles managed.

Paleo Rosso: The estate’s iconic wine. Originally a blend, it is now one of the most famous and finest 100% Cabernet Francs throughout Italy.

Messorio: A world-famous, single-varietal Merlot of monumental depth and structure.

Scrio: An extremely rare, single-varietal Syrah, which showcases the spicy side of Bolgheri.

Bolgheri Rosso: The estate’s more accessible entry-level wine. Unlike the flagship wines, this is a classic, charming Bordeaux blend made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.