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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.9 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 99 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 10/2/2023 & rated 96 points: Fresh, robust, ripe and delicious, with loads of peppery red and black fruit, complemented by lush oak notes that suit the fruit well. What it may lack in elegance, is more than made up for by the warmth and intensity of the wine. (487 views) | | | Tasted by wine4ever on 9/10/2022: Decanted for sediment and started drinking within 5 minutes. Beautiful wine in a lovely spot. Still very fresh and vibrant and full of ripe, dark fruit with touches of spice. A wonderful example of Cab Franc. Solidly straddling near the extraordinary realm of wines. Ready to drink now, over time gets more herbaceous and heavier. Super long finish, silky smooth texture keeps drawing you in for more. Probably at or slightly past peak, but should keep evolving over the short term. We have one more which we plan to drink within the next 5 years. (1184 views) | | | Tasted by shafer1994 on 6/6/2022 & rated 93 points: No decant, the wine opened up immediately after pouring in the Glas. Red color with brownish boundaries. Ripe dark fruit and a wonderful sweetness in the nose. Round and silky texture. Long, elegant finish with very polished tannins. A fully developed wine. I would not wait too long although I think there are some more years left. But I doubt that the wine will develop further. (1382 views) | | | Tasted by Filippo on 4/17/2022 & rated 96 points: Sensational!!!! Perfect Paleo with the added elegance from long aging. (1490 views) | | | Tasted by brasstab on 4/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Unbridled elegance. Earth and graphite and dark (very) fruit, with a muscular acidic finish. Refined tannins. Paired with bucatini a’lla amatriciana. (2249 views) | | | Tasted by PourSomeRed on 7/20/2020 & rated 94 points: Delicious! Ripe fruit and well balanced. Drinking well now. Heading towards its later stages. (2510 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 7/11/2020 & rated 94 points: Decant strongly advised to get rid of the sediment. Ripe dark and red berries presented in a somewhat sweet, jammy fashion. Plenty of dried herbs and over time also more fresh, minty notes. Over time turned gamy as dried meat flavors emerged. Tertiary aromatics linger somewhere in the background but very subtle. A full-bodied cab franc with good depth to it. Fresh and clearly red fruit on the palate, a tad acidic maybe, but with perfectly integrated tannin. This is in a great state right now. Even if more tertiary aromatics could potentially add additional layers to the complexity with more bottle age, I’m worries this is not structured for much more aging. I'm just at the beginning of exploring the Le Macchiole range but I have to say I was already impressed by the Messorio (2012, 2013) and the Paleo 2001 is again great and for me even a whisker ahead of the 2013 which was probably one of the top 3 vintages since 2001. Will look to check out the 2010 and 2012 hopefully soon. As you would expect from a great Super-Tuscan, this combines Old World elegance with New World ripeness and power. Unfortunately, often this doesn't work. But Le Macchiole figured it out. (2370 views) | | | Tasted by baroloboy55-2.0 on 2/10/2020 & rated 94 points: This was a stunningly fresh bottle; while I'm not prone to be as exuberant is Galloni is, this bottle is showing very well after nearly two decades, most of the stored in the coolest part of my passive cellar. And I've not had a Paleo of later vintage that matches this effort. Bright, acidic, perhaps a bit polished, showed very well against some other excellent Tuscan/Central Italy wines. I had debated whether to drink in this context or with French cab francs, and glad I made this decision. To my palate outshone an 01 Brunello from Ciacci, an 04 Flaccianello (which showed better than the last one I had), or an 06 Giusto di Notri which was the proximate cause of brining this wine... (2202 views) | | | Tasted by theharve on 8/29/2019 & rated 87 points: fruit dimishing faster than tannins. Try in one yr. not optimistic. (2429 views) | | | Tasted by maxima on 5/22/2019 & rated 89 points: Souple et à point je dirais,
semble plus sur la finesse et
la douceur que les autres millésimes. (2613 views) | | | Tasted by Rollerball on 4/6/2019 & rated 93 points: Splash decanter and poured, this played perfectly the role of middle of party, ready-to-drink, interesting and pleasurable to the sophisticateds and the couldn’t-care-lesses. Dense dark and lush; nothing like a Loire cab franc. The oak and fruit gave integrated with age into some lovely toffee notes. Great showing without demanding an ovation. (1885 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 5/30/2018 & rated 93 points: An interesting Wine to have followed over the years. Fully mature but with lots of life left. Rich, creamy fruit profile with some forest notes. Despite the heft, it is not heavy and finishes well. Good stuff. (93) (2810 views) | | | Tasted by straight outta iowa on 5/14/2018 & rated 90 points: Double decanted from magnum and consumed with a variety of Italian cuisine at Lucca DSM, this wine was very much as I expected: a very modern, very extracted version of cab franc. Three of the four at the table really liked it. Admittedly it is a sexy wine, and demands very little. Big yet balanced, silky texture, and long finish. Fruit seemed black cherry/cranberry. Those who prefer that will likely love the wine. After 17 years, the end seems nowhere near from magnum. On the other hand, this wine could have been made from any number of grapes, and could have been from anywhere in the world. If I drank it blind, I would not have been surprised to learn it was a Cali cab or an Argentinian malbec. Could ascertain neither typical cab franc vegetal/barnyard nor Tuscan herbs. Nota bene: It threw off an enormous amount of sediment prior to dinner. (2436 views) | | | Tasted by sababa1022 on 1/19/2018 flawed bottle: Opened two bottles. One delicious. One corked. (2402 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 10/25/2017 & rated 93 points: The first vintage of Paleo that was 100% Cabernet Franc. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted alongside most of the Paleo vintages from 2013 to 1993.
Luminous and pretty translucent cherry red color that surprisingly lacks the developed tawny hue of the surrounding vintages. Sweet but quite restrained nose with subtle aromas of ripe blackcurrant, some black cherries, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of raisin and a touch of earthiness. The new oak aromas seem to have integrated pretty fully with the fruit at this point. The wine is medium-bodied, quite dry and pretty structured on the palate with intense flavors of wizened dark forest berries, some sweet raisiny fruit, a little bit of astringent berry skin character, a little bit of earthiness and hints of roasted spices and pipe tobacco. The acidity feels high and the tannins still retain quite a bit of grip, giving the wine firm and chewy texture. All in all the age is finally starting to show slightly and the pieces seem to fit here quite perfectly. The finish is long, grippy and a bit bitter with intense and pretty savoy flavors of wizened dark berries, fresh sour plums, some prunes, a hint of earth and a touch of cigar box.
A very harmonious and beautifully aged vintage of Paleo that is a bit more elegant and low-key than many of the surrounding vintages, yet still the wine retains that pretty tightly-knit and serious structure that is the hallmark of this wine. Flavor-wise the wine is starting to reach its apogee, but the structure is still so very tightly-knit that I can imagine it will take many years more for the wine to fully resolve in that department. Might gain a further point with more bottle age. A fine Paleo vintage and an impressive effort to be the first vintage in this new style. (2611 views) | | | Tasted by sshayfin on 1/3/2017 & rated 94 points: dark ruby color,
triatry leather aromas with green pepper bouquet,
medium body, well structured with soft firm tannins and good acidity.
long aftertaste, very complex.
aging pot: 5-8 years (1947 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 1/3/2017 & rated 92 points: quality mature Italian wine tasting (at my home): dark opaque red-purple
rich dark fruits nose with green-bell-pepper notes and truffles-leather hints
full bodied, silky tannins, rich fruity flavours, excellent balance, harmony and structure, well complexed, dark fruits, truffles, tobacco, eucalyptus hints, long finish and aftertaste.
excellent wine. ready now.
15 hours later: the wine is fully aired, still very enjoyable and in excellent condition. (2947 views) | | | Tasted by BradE on 4/7/2016: Drank the 2012 and 2001 Paleo. What a great expression of Cabernet Franc. The 2012 was fresh and needs some time. The 2001 is fully developed and should be drunk if you own it. A great producer, great wines. (3432 views) | | | Tasted by Italiana on 2/4/2016: Absolutely fabulous! Cork wet up to the half-way point. Beautiful lively deep purple. Bosque-y aromas. No decant or air time. Instant hit of ripe fruit, followed by a panoply of a thousand points of flavor. Nice level of acidity. Tannins present but never intruded. Silky texture. Oh, how I hope that remaining bottles deliver at this level. (3330 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 12/22/2015 & rated 93 points: By far the best bottle of this wine. So much more in balance.... Still full of plum fruit but silky and full of life. Super. (93) (3416 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 6/9/2015 & rated 88 points: Some light blackberry; tart and herbaceous; moderate finish. (3889 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 4/5/2014 & rated 89 points: Still deep garnet color. Interesting nose of spicy green pepper and blackberry sorbet. A bit of vanilla bean as well. Rich but not heavy palate - saturating and modern in profile. Very nice but could use a bit more flavor interest - a bit of a bruiser. (89) (4630 views) | | | Tasted by Italiana on 12/16/2013: Sourced from Premier Cru. Had high hopes for this bottle. Corked extracted easily, streaked up by 1/3. Surprisingly deep color. Shy aromas. Initial taste showed a thin and hollow flavor, dominated by tartness. Left the bottle open for around 2 hours, hoping that the wine would gain some weight with air. Alas, not to be. Drinkable, but fruitless. (4374 views) | | | Tasted by winejnky on 12/8/2013 & rated 90 points: Nose: graphite and tar, currants
Flavor: Dried cranberry, currant and strawberry
Profile: dry, old world, mildly tannic, oaky
This bottle is perhaps 25-30% past peak, but still in decent shape and enjoyable to drink. (4115 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 9/10/2013 & rated 92 points: Sextet, that became a Septet, 3rd meeting: Super Tuscan evening (Cucina Tamar, hosted by Mati): see my previous TN (4519 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Le Macchiole: Paleo Rosso 1992-2012 (Apr 2014)
(Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/5/2010)
(Le Macchiole, Paleo IGT Toscana Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Dinner at Home with Le Macchiole (Dec 2006) (12/1/2006)
(Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, September/October 2006, IWC Issue #128
(Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso Bolgheri) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/1/2005)
(Le Macchiole, Paleo Rosso Toscana Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Le Macchiole Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
Producer Location (Google Maps)
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
A beacon of fine wine production in Bolgheri, today recognized as one of Italy’s most important wine regions, the history of Le Macchiole began in 1983 when Eugenio Campolmi, a native Bolgherese, purchased his first vineyard. Together with his wife, Cinzia Merli, Eugenio began his pursuit, based on the philosophy of experimentation, planting many different varietals (Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah…) to discover those best adapted to the microclimate and particular soil of this region along the Etruscan coast, nestled between the Bolgheri hills and the sea.
Beginning with just a few hectares, little by little the estate grew, the winery was built, and in 1991, winemaker Luca d’Attoma joined Le Macchiole, sharing a common goal: to produce an original, perhaps unexpected, wine capable of expressing and celebrating the characteristics of the territory. The winery focused on achieving the purest expression of individual varieties, such as Cabernet Franc and Syrah, atypical at the time in an area predominantly known for its Bordeaux style blends. With its distinct wines and unprecedented quality, Le Macchiole soon joined Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Guado al Tasso as one of the most prestigious estates in Bolgheri. Following Eugenio’s death in 2002, Cinzia took over the reins, moving forward with passion and dedication.
Working closely with a carefully selected team in the winery and the vineyards, Le Macchiole has always been at the forefront of innovation, applying methods including extremely low yields, high density planting, specially designed cement fermentation tanks in the cellar, and since 2002, the implementation of organic farming practices, with the sole objective of strengthening the vine. The winery continues to produce what are internationally recognized as some of Tuscany’s finest wines, confirmed by the numerous accolades received in Italy and abroad, including the Wine Spectator’s prestigious 100-point score a few years ago for the 2004 Messorio.
Today Le Macchiole produces 5 wines: Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Franc), Messorio (Merlot), Scrio (Syrah), Bolgheri Rosso (Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah) and Paleo Bianco (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), each with its own personality, an expression of the soil and result of the respect given to the vineyard.
“It is essential to first find balance in the vineyard, only then can we find balance in the wine.”
– Cinzia Merli
2001 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso100% Cabernet FrancCabernet Franc Varietal character (Appellation America) | Wines & Vines articlePaleo RossoPaleo Rosso used to be a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Cabernet Franc, but starting in 2001 it shifted to be 100% Cabernet Franc.Italy Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorTuscany Tuscany (ItalianMade.com) | TuscanytToscana IGTHere is the Wikipedia entry for Toscana wine. |
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