2019 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Messorio IGT Organic, Tuscany

The stunning Le Macchiole 2019 Messorio is all Merlot from a special 2.5-hectare plot with a classic mix of Bolgheri soils featuring clay, silt, sandstone and limestone. The wine ferments in concrete and finishes in new barrique for 18 months. I spoke with proprietor Cinzia Merli about Merlot, and she concedes that this early-ripening grape suffers the most because of climate change. However, the winemaking team works extra hard for balance and elegance notwithstanding. This beautiful wine releases perfumes of cherry, blue flower, iris root, crushed stone and slate. Well-balanced oak tones add power and texture to the full-bodied close. Drink 2023-2048.

97+ points Monica Larner robertparker.com Oct 2021

The 2019 Messorio marries the natural opulence of Merlot on the Tuscan Coast with a feeling of finesse I don't think I have ever seen here before. There is plenty of depth and resonance, but none of the heaviness that was so in vogue for many years. Dark cherry, plum, spice, mocha and lifted floral notes build into the racy, exotic finish. Drink 2027-2039.

97 points Antonio Galloni vinous.com March 2021

Note: 100% Merlot. Messorio, born in 1994, is a challenging dance between us and one of the most widespread varieties in the Bolgheri area: Merlot (from two vineyards: ‘Vignone’ and ‘Puntone’). Messorio is named from an Italian term pinpointing the period of harvesting. It is a moment of great importance in the life of our countryside, at one time linked to the reaping of crops, now, for us and inextricably identified with the grape harvest. These generous grapes, perfect for the blended wines typical of Bolgheri, are tricky and complex when it is decided to produce a wine from merlot in purity. Messorio is considered one of the most representative Italian merlot wines in the world. Determined by considerable complexity and elegance, which grows year after year from aging in the bottle. Fermentation and maceration for 25 days in concrete, then aged for 18 months in new oak barriques.