Toscane, Italie
S.P. via Bolgherese, 189/A
57022 Bolgheri LI, Italy
Italie
+39 055 977053
Le Macchiole is a modern winery (or Tenuta) created in 1983 by the talented couple Eugenio Campolmi and his wife Cinzia Merli. Situated at the foot of the village of Bolgheri, which became famous for its high concentration of "Super Tuscans" in the early 80s, Le Macchiole is a 22-hectare estate that ranks among Italy's finest producers, quickly establishing a solid international reputation. When her husband passed away too soon in 2002, Cinzia Merli and her team took over this flagship estate with the firm intention of keeping it at the pinnacle of great Italian wines. This sparkling, passionate winemaker manages her estate, vineyard and wines with the utmost care, offering Italian wine lovers single-vineyard wines of the utmost precision and beauty.
It's a human adventure.
The history of the Le Macchiole estate, which began in 1983, is above all founded on human values and revolves around one man, Eugenio Campolmi, whose passion for the vine is “rooted in the body”. The Campolmi family has been established in the region for many years and is no novice in the field, having produced noble wines from vineyards on the Via Aurelia plain since the late 1970s. Instinctive, Eugenio has no equal when it comes to experimentation.
In 1983, Eugenio Campolmi began planting new slopes at the foot of the Bolgheri hills. In the course of his experiments, he discovered that the Cabernet Franc variety was particularly well suited to the Macchiole vineyards. But Eugenio had a stronger passion when it came to grape varieties: Syrah. Despite rather unfavorable growing conditions, he persisted in imposing it on the estate. And so, with unstinting effort and in very limited quantities, the estate's rarest wine was born: Scrio, a 100% Syrah.
Together with his wife Cinzia, a fundamental pillar of this adventure, they have an ambitious project to produce great wines based on respect for the vine. To make this dream a reality, they began by planting a number of different varieties on the few hectares they owned, in addition to the famous Syrah.
In 1991, the young winemaker Luca d'Attoma joined the team, and his arrival was decisive. At the time, Luca d'Attoma was still the in-house oenologist at the talented Tua Rita estate in Tuscany's Maremma region. Lucas d'Attoma, it should be noted, was a true pioneer in the development of quality at Le Macchiole.
All share the same philosophy and are driven by the desire to offer an original wine. When Eugenio died prematurely in 2002, Cinzia Merli courageously took over the management of the estate and made it a point of honor to develop her husband's project with her team, with the important contribution of Lucas Attoma, with the firm intention of keeping Le macchiole at the top of the Italian wine world, wines she affectionately describes as “her children”. This sparkling, passionate winemaker manages her estate, vineyard and wines with the utmost care, offering Italian wine lovers single-vineyard wines of the utmost precision and beauty.
This work was finally rewarded in 2008, when the Messorio cuvée was awarded a score of 100 by the renowned Wine Spectator magazine. Stubborn and persevering, Eugenio has passed on his respect for the land and his sensitivity. Thanks to his talent and that of his entourage, Le Macchiole is today a true benchmark in Bolgheri, one of Italy's most renowned wine-growing regions today, and the birthplace of “Tuscan superwines” in the late 70s and early 80s.
Vine care at the heart of the project.
Macchiole is a domain that pushes precision to the extreme and revolves around a singular philosophy. Indeed, rather than basing itself on pre-existing models, it has chosen to be a trendsetter. From the outset, the estate set itself apart by choosing to invest in vineyard research first, even before planning the winery. They were the first to plant Syrah, to produce 100% Cabernet Franc, to adopt high-density planting - up to 10,000 vines per hectare - and to opt for very low yields. The principle adopted by all those involved in the estate is to respect the natural rhythms and cycles of the vine. Each vine produces, at most, one kilo of grapes, and each operation is carried out manually, with harvesting done in crates to ensure 100% respect for the grapes. Organic methods are also used to fortify and strengthen the vines. Last but not least, human intervention in the winemaking process is kept to a strict minimum, with the wine being made mainly in the vineyard, not in the cellar, according to their strong conviction.
Defending our typicality.
Macchiole produces around 150,000 bottles a year. All the wines are marketed only after a year's maturation in the bottle, a very common practice in Italy and in the great prestige estates. The wines are nectars of character, each with its own story to tell. While the Paleo Rosso is more focused on delicate fragrances, the Messorio perfectly expresses the diversity of the Bolgheri terroir. Structured and elegant, this wine stands out for the complexity of its aromatic bouquet. A true emblem of the estate, this cuvée is the DNA of Le Macchiole.
The 22 hectares of vineyards are extremely dense, with around 10,000 vines per hectare, and are grown organically. The grapes are selected very carefully. From the outset, the management's aim has been to make the most of the terroir's characteristics in the various sub-zones on their own land. To this day, Le Macchiole winery has received numerous top ratings from wine critics. In 2009, the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS) named it Italy's best winery, and two years later, Wine Enthusiast magazine named it Winery of the Year for its many years of service.
Aged 100% in new barrels for 18 months, of which 5% are aged in amphora, Le Macchiole Paleo 2020 is, in the opinion of the most discerning experts, one of the finest Cabernet Franc that can be produced in Italy, at least in this vintage with any certainty. It's worth noting that this was the first Italian wine made entirely from Cabernet Franc. The nose is dense, very expressive and concentrated, with an aromatic palette of black fruits around cherry and a hint of blackcurrant. Although very young, the very dense palate with its tight but ripe and well-integrated tannins shows that everything is well in place. It will obviously mellow with age. It's set for a very long ageing period, which this wine usually promises. The fruity finish, with very good length, exalts our palate with spicy touches and a hint of dark chocolate. A very fine, massive wine with no lack of elegance.
A blend of 50% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah, Le Macchiole's Bolgheri Rosso DOC 2022 offers a heady, highly expressive nose of blueberry and crushed blackberry, with dark chocolate and a hint of graphite. Agitation confirms the bottle's complexity, with expressions of pepper and cut herbs. Elegantly structured, with a sheathed tannic framework offering a hushed sensation, the palate presents a good weight of wine with an impression of juiciness, as if one were biting into the grape. The finish is persistent, with good length, and the whole is a delight for the palate. A wine for pleasure, but more complex than it appears.
“Scrio” is a 100% Syrah aged for 16 months in barrels. The wine is remarkable for its freshness, deliciousness and precision. In a vintage where this wine is gaining in grace, Le Macchiole's Scrio 2019 IGT Toscana displays plenty of spirit and class. Very seductive in its aromatic expression right from the olfactory attack, “Scrio” 2019 is a cornucopia of red-fleshed fruit mixed with mineral notes and bewitching spices, all in a beautiful frankness and freshness. The palate is juicy, fruity and delicately structured with caressing tannins. The finish is juicy and recalls the empyreumatic accent characteristic of Rhône Valley Syrah: a touch of tar.
“Messorio” Rosso Toscana IGT 2021
This is the great wine, the flagship if you will, of Le Macchiole. This 100% Merlot, aged 18 months in new barrels, has long been (since the mid-90s) one of the finest Merlots produced in Italy, to the point of having long been an icon in its style. "Messorio 2021 IGT Toscana combines balance, elegance and refinement without being too much. Everything is mastered in this wine, with a disconcerting aromatic and gustatory freshness. The nose expresses complex notes of black ripe fruit mixed with a touch of graphite (for minerality) and Lebanese cedar. It's sensual, frank, pure and refined. But there's more! Agitation develops scents of licorice, mocha, spices, even leather with a hint of black fruit. What greed! What presence! The palate is juicy and greedy, with enveloping tannins and a sensation of dynamism, even absolute energy. The finish is long and fresh, confirming a great Merlot full of energy and drive. Pure indulgence from a wine that is highly drinkable in its youth, but capable of astonishing us with, in the very best vintages, a few decades' ageing. Remarkable!
