Name: Le Macchiole Toscana Messorio 2017 750ml
Brand: Le Macchiole
SKU: 891767
Price: 203.78 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 95.3 (6 reviews)

Winery

Le Macchiole

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Varietal

Merlot

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.

Country

Italy

There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.

Region

Tuscany

The central Italian region of Tuscany is widely understood to be one of the world's most famous and highly regarded wine regions. The beautiful rolling hillsides and medieval towns and castles which are a key feature of the area are also home to many of Europe's finest wineries, and extremely high quality vineyards growing the distinctive Sangiovese and Vernaccia grape varietals which are the flavorful backbone of Tuscany's wonderful red and white wines. For almost three thousand years, this region has been recognized as an ideal home for wine production on a large scale, and the ancient Etruscans, Greeks and Romans all noticed that fine grape varietals flourished on the unique soils and under the hot sunshine which typifies the area. Today, Tuscany is home to a wide range of wines, from the traditional to the complex, but all dedicated to excellent flavors and aromas, and maintaining the region's international reputation.

Appellation

Bolgheri

Bolgheri, nestled along the sun-soaked Tuscan coast, is a revered wine appellation renowned for producing outstanding red wines. What sets Bolgheri apart is its pioneering role in the creation of “Super Tuscan” wines, challenging traditional Italian winemaking. These wines often blend indigenous Sangiovese with international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, resulting in rich, complex flavors and a remarkable aging potential. Bolgheri’s coastal location influences a distinctive microclimate, characterized by warm days and cool maritime breezes, imparting freshness and structure to the wines. Notably, Sassicaia, born in Bolgheri, stands as a global benchmark for quality. Bolgheri wines, with their innovative spirit and unique terroir, encapsulate the essence of modern Italian winemaking, offering enthusiasts an exciting journey through the evolution of this dynamic appellation.

JS 97pts

James Suckling

This wine shows beautiful clarity and class on the nose with roses, tar, currants, green and black olives and plums. It’s exceptionally fine-tannined with such polish and finesse. So sophisticated and intense for this vintage. Long, chewy finish, yet this is mouth-filling and caressing. Pure merlot. Try after 2024.

JD 96pts

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2017 Messorio is also forward with a floral perfume of red apple, candied plum, mocha, and roses. It is full-bodied but lifts weightlessly off the palate and delivers a stony mineral flourish. It also has freshness on the finish without having any harsh edges, with ripe but present tannic structure. It is drinking beautifully now or will drink well over the next two decades.

WA 95pts

Wine Advocate

Messorio is a wine that beautifully reflects the characteristics of the vintage and is a very accurate measuring stick of how any single vintage will eventually perform both in terms of near-term accessibility and long-term cellar aging. That said, the Le Macchiole 2017 Messorio plays its strongest cards in terms of mouthfeel and texture, revealing a robust structure and firmly integrated tannins that come from both the richly concentrated fruit and the careful use of oak. The wine shows a heavy center of gravity and a solid base of dark fruit that is enhanced by caramel, brown sugar, spice and creamy blackberry preserves. It does offer immediate appeal, but I'd wait a few more years to give this 2017 Messorio more time to flesh out and evolve.

VM 95pts

Vinous Media

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%.

DC 95pts

Decanter

The harvest of Merlot for Messorio in 2017 commenced on 17 August and finished on 7 September, producing around 12,000 bottles. Since 2015 it has been fermented with selected yeasts in concrete vessels at a moderate 26°C then aged in 100% new French oak with a light and progressive toastiness. The result is a slightly herbal Merlot with precise sweet cassis and plum fruit and depth of star anise and leather. Dense on the palate with red fruit flavours, it imposes powerful yet ripe tannins with crisp acidity and balanced alcohol.

WS 94pts

Wine Spectator

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. 950 cases made, 90 cases imported.

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Le Macchiole Toscana Messorio 2017 750ml

Case of 3

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Winery

Le Macchiole

Varietal

Merlot

Country

Italy

Region

Tuscany

Appellation

Bolgheri

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck

Wine Advocate

Vinous Media

Decanter

Wine Spectator

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