Le Macchiole : Messorio 2021

Plum, pomegranate and blackberry fruit is framed by toasty oak and vanilla notes in this fresh, brilliant red. Iron and tobacco accents add detail as this cruises to the long, saturated finish. The tannins are present yet within bounds, leaving a mouthcoating impression. This is more about finesse than power, showing poise and length. Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2046. 920 cases made, 75 cases imported.

Messorio, Le Macchiole’s pure Merlot expression, which in 2021 shines with energy and perfume. Made in much the same way as Paleo, it’s a blend of two plots and six vinifications. Scents of Mediterranean scrub, sweet cherry, violet, plum and spice ring out, while the tight, grainy palate promises bright, vibrant and fleshy fruit once bottle age has relaxed it. A superb Merlot.

A vivid merlot on the nose with plum, berry, clove and cedar aromas, as well as undertones of bark and five spices. Full-bodied yet balanced and energetic, with driving acidity and fine tannins that frame the wine nicely and add energy and verve. Sweet tobacco to the fruit. Best after 2029.

The 2021 Messorio (Merlot) is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Dark, layered and enveloping, the 2021 boasts notable textural richness from start to finish. Dark red-toned fruit, spice, mocha, new leather and licorice fill out the layers effortlessly. There’s plenty of energy and depth to balance some of the more overt qualities. These days, Messorio is not as opulent as it was during the 1990s when it became an iconic wine in Italy, but the natural suitability of Maremma for producing exotic, sumptuous Merlots simply can’t be denied. The 2021 spent 16 months in French oak barrels, with a small amount of the wine (7%) that was aged in stoneware amphora. It is a superb effort from Le Macchiole.

Implacable is the word that comes to mind at the first sip of the 2021 Messorio. Making wine in Bolgheri has only gotten more complicated in the last vintages, and most people would point to Merlot vineyards as the place the impending storm will first hit, but like a lighthouse whose light is better appreciated not despite but because of inclement conditions, Le Macchiole's Messorio seems to shine more brightly under duress. A beacon of light. Drink 2028–2041, or when you find yourself on a dark path.