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Le Macchiole

Bolgheri Rosso 2019

Bolgheri Rosso DOC

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Bolgheri Rosso is a refined, irresistible blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, serving as an introduction to the estate. The wine is, frankly, almost too good at the price. All the intensive artisanal work that Le Macchiole carries out in its vineyards and cellars benefits this wine, and despite more availability than its Paleo Rosso, Messorio and Scrio siblings, it sells out nearly as quickly.

Bolgheri Rossi is also the youngest of Le Macchiole’s wines, first produced in 2004. The objective: to make a Bordeaux blend, but typical of Bolgheri.

VINEYARD

Bolgheri Rosso is sourced from four of the estate’s five vineyards: Puntone (1994), Vignone (1999), Casa Nuova (1998), I Sommi (2015). The 2019 vintage is 50% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah.

WINEMAKING

The wine is fermented for 15 days in stainless steel tanks and then aged for 10 months in a combination of oak and concrete (80% in second and third passage barrique and 20% in concrete).

VINTAGE

The 2019 can be summarized as a vintage with slow and very long ripening and with no excessive heat peaks. The beginning of the year was characterized by a winter with temperatures in line with the season, low rainfall, and a particularly dry climate. The spring season was fluctuating, characterized by a particularly cold climate in the last two weeks of March. A steady increase in temperatures throughout the April contributed to a slow and gradual sprout development. In May, low temperatures, and a substantial increase in rainfall, led to a sharp slowdown in the plants’ vegetative development. A particularly hot and dry climate at the beginning of June, combined with the heavy rains of the previous month, contributed to a flourishing shoot development on the plants resulting in clusters that required repeated and targeted green management intervention for the entire summer period. The harvest period started slightly later than in previous years, with the harvest of with the Merlot grapes between the first and third week of September, along with the Syrah grapes, and concluded with the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties between the fourth week of September and the first ten days of October.

TASTING NOTE

Intense fresh fruity notes on the nose and a slimmer texture, with firm yet very gentle tannins and an acid backbone that brings an amazing balance to the wine.

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah

Appellation

Bolgheri Rosso DOC

Alcohol

14.5%

Suggested Retail Price

$33.00

Reviews

93

"Core of ripe fruit"

Wine Spectator - June 16, 2021

"Bright blackberry, black currant and cedar flavors run into resinous oak and vanilla notes in this dense red. The core of ripe fruit lingers despite muscular tannins adding grip." - B.S.

93

"Delicious already"

James Suckling - July 15, 2021

"Attractive perfumes of currants, berries, incense and flowers follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a bright finish. Some smoke and dark-earth undertones. A little tight at the end, but delicious already." - J.S.

93

"Crunchy purple fruit"

Wine & Spirits - December 16, 2021

"Bolgheri’s long, moderate growing season in 2019 yielded this beautifully balanced and layered blend of estate-grown merlot, cabernets franc and sauvignon, and syrah. Already appealing for its smooth texture, fresh thyme and lavender scents and crunchy purple fruit, this gains depth and intensity as it opens in the glass, suggesting it may be even better in a couple of years. - S.J

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Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso Bottle Shot

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Scrio

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Scrio was born in 1994, out of Eugenio Campolmi's wish to produce a wine which would best express his vision of Syrah, his favorite grape variety. As all Le Macchiole wines, Scrio has an original personality and stands apart from Syrah grown in France or anywhere else - it is an extraordinarily compelling meld of deep and velvety Mediterranean fruit with cool climate aromatics and detail. Given the extremely limited production, Scrio is decidedly a hidden gem.

Paleo Rosso

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Paleo Rosso has been called Italy's landmark expression of Cabernet Franc. This grape variety is growing internationally as a distinct bottling, but Bolgheri has proven to be the single best place in the world to do so. The Mediterranean climate and surroundings result in a wine of extraordinarily expressive, sensual, and textural fruits and savory spices.

Messorio

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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.