2020 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Messorio IGT Organic, Tuscany

It's deep and decidedly dark in its sensory profile, years after its creation. Notes of black plums blend beautifully with nuances of blackberry, juniper berries, black cherries, sour cherries, dates, white musk, black tea leaves, and incense. The grace of the background contrasts with the power of the dark profile, bringing subtle hints of mixed white flowers such as gardenias and magnolias. The sweetness of the fruit is dominant and dominates, the tannic quality is impressive, bordering on silky, and the finish is engaging and decidedly enthralling, a journey you hope will never end. Exciting. Drink now or age.

100 points Raffaele Vecchione winescritic.com 2024

Made with Merlot, the 2020 Messorio is a profound and richly textured wine that has become one of vintner Cinza Merli's flagships. Ripe fruit, dark cherry, oak spice and toast converge with balanced intensity to characterize this generous expression from Tuscany. The issue with Merlot, especially in a hot vintage such as this, is ripeness or, specifically, over-ripeness. Messorio navigates a challenging growing season with flying colors.

96 points Monica Larner robertparker.com

From the celebrated Bolgheri region on the Tuscan coast, Messorio stands as one of Italy’s most iconic expressions of Merlot. Le Macchiole was founded in the early 1980s by Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli, who believed the gravelly coastal soils of Bolgheri could produce world class wines. After Eugenio’s passing, Cinzia Merli continued to guide the estate and helped elevate Le Macchiole into one of Tuscany’s most respected producers. The vineyards are farmed organically, and Messorio is crafted from carefully selected parcels of Merlot grown in the estate’s best sites where the combination of warm Mediterranean sunshine and cooling sea breezes allows the fruit to achieve both richness and elegance.

The wine shows a deep, inky ruby colour with remarkable intensity. Aromas unfold with layers of black plum, dark cherry and cassis supported by notes of violet, cedar and subtle spice. As the wine opens further hints of cocoa, tobacco leaf and graphite begin to emerge, revealing its complexity. The palate is powerful yet beautifully polished with fine tannins carrying flavours of ripe black fruit, plum and savoury spice across a concentrated frame. Despite its richness there is freshness and balance that keeps the wine vibrant, leading to a long and persistent finish. Messorio is a wine built for longevity and will continue to evolve for twenty years or more, revealing additional layers of depth and character with time in the cellar.