“Messorio” Rosso Toscana IGT 2022

Az. Agr. Le Macchiole | Tuscany
Le Macchiole s.a. s.s. | Via Bolgherese 189a | IT 57022 Castagneto Carducci

09832122 · 0,75 l · 332,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
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In 1994, Eugenio Campolmi made a decision that sounded like a declaration of war. Merlot – one of the most widely planted grape varieties in Bolgheri and on the Tuscan coast, the most widely planted in the world – was to become a wine that was as far removed as possible from everything that Merlot normally means: pleasing, soft, predictable. "A thoroughbred that wants to win the race" is how the house describes its goal to this day. The name – messorio, Tuscan for the wheat harvest, once the most important moment of the farming year – has become a metaphor for what the grape harvest can be: a moment that decides everything.

Eugenio Campolmi died in 2002 and Cinzia Merli, his wife, took over the estate and the convictions. She has not toned them down. 800 grams of grapes per vine, triple selection in the vineyard and on the sorting table, fermentation in concrete, 18 to 20 months in new French barriques. No intervention to slow down the thoroughbred. 2022 was the year of the long harvest. It began on 9 August with the Chardonnay and only ended on 22 September with the Cabernet Sauvignon – almost seven weeks because the heat of the summer kept the berries small and allowed them to ripen unevenly. More analyses, more parcel selection, more decisions than in other years. Rain and falling temperatures in mid-August saved the red varieties – and gave the Messorio the dark freshness that makes 2022 one of its most interesting vintages.

Intense, deep ruby red colour. Black plum, blackberry, juniper berry, black tea, incense on the nose – dark, complex, with a depth that is layered. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, with silky, dense tannins, a fresh acidity that carries the weight and a very long, mineral final. The thoroughbred – 2022 has not tamed it. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Merlot interpretation of Le Macchiole: exudes a cloud of aromas of marasca, flowers, blood oranges and sandalwood; rich in tannins and mineral on the palate, the final lingers on notes of forest fruits, chocolate and Mediterranean scrub. Pure finesse!" Vinum

"Sparkling, powerful ruby colour. Opens with pronounced spicy notes of cedar wood, cardamom and cigars, then plump berry fruit, some plum. Powerful and mouth-filling, at the same time very well-developed fruit, opens with grippy tannins, slightly drying on the final." Falstaff

"The Messorio 2022 is the wine from Le Macchiole that shows the evolution of the winery in recent years towards a style that emphasises subtlety and nuance rather than power. Blood orange, rose petals, cinnamon, cherry and red cherry are the first aromas. After some time in the glass, the wine's flavours develop very well. The 2022 is a particularly perfumed, medium-bodied Messorio. I am curious to see how it will develop after a few years in the bottle. The 2022 was matured in new, low-toasted barriques, wooden racks and ceramic amphorae." Vinous

"A dark and restrained wine with aromas of mint, balsamic, cassis and graphite. The full-bodied palate is soft and velvety, with crisp acidity, extracted but ripe tannins and flavours of dark fruit and sweet tobacco. Juicy despite its concentration. Best from 2030." James Suckling

"Purity is the hallmark of this lively black cherry, blackberry and violet flavour.–blackberry and violet flavours. It's solidly built, with refined tannins that need time to integrate, but overall it's balanced and elegant. Graphite and wild herb accents emerge in the long aftertaste." Wine Spectator

"The cool, fresh, saline nose of dirt, herbs, new leather, tulips and hibiscus candy glides into a palate that's sweeter but still cohesive, with flavours of blackberry, cherry, wild mint and black licorice. The acidity pushes past the chalky tannins and supports the bitter citrus bite on the finish." Wine Enthusiast

"The last wine I tasted during my visit was the great Messorio 2022. "It's important to build this wine step by step," says owner Cinzia Merli about the blending process, which involves mixing grapes from different vineyards with different soils and exposures. The wine displays a wide range of fruit flavours, from dark cherry on one side of the spectrum to fragrant pomegranate on the other. In 2022, the fruit was removed from the vines earlier than usual to preserve the crispness of the berry flavours. The Messorio envelops the palate with soft richness and beautiful tannins. The long finish reveals hints of spices and crushed stone." Wine Advocate