LE MACCHIOLE
TUSCANY, ITALY 2022
WHY BUY:
Le Macchiole is regarded as “The Boutique Bolgheri,” and what we love about this quintet from their current portfolio — including two 97-pointers and a 96-pointer, all from The Wine Advocate — is that they deliver bespoke detailing but without bespoke cost. The Merlot-driven Messorio (97 pts) is crafted with the same obsessive detail as the famed Masseto, yet clocks in at less than half the price. The 97-point Scrio is a benchmark wine unique in all of Italy: a Syrah of such distinctive elegance and poise that comparing it to other Syrahs feels slightly beside the point, like comparing a Balanchine ballet to an aerobics class. And if Ornellaia and Sassicaia are your Bolgheri touchstones, then the Paleo Rosso, at 96 points (and with a considerably smaller price tag than those two Super Tuscan titans) is a wine you’ll want to load up on. The greatness, for us, of these single-varietal, minimal-intervention, limited-production wines lies not in their craft or distinction, but in their gestalt: in their rare and rather wonderful ability to carry you clean away from the noise and strife of the here-and-now.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
The Wine Advocate awarded 97 points to both the Scrio 2022 and the Messorio 2022. The former, it wrote, is a wine that “has taken on a life of its own,” one whose “bright primary fruit comes out roaring,” whose “power and textural richness” are immediately apparent, and whose “intensity of primary fruit is excellent.” It was equally enamored of the Messorio: “magnificent,” it wrote, going on to praise “a wide span of fruit flavors” from dark cherry to fragrant pomegranate, a “soft richness,” “pretty tannins,” and “hints of spice and crushed stone” on a long finish. The Wine Advocate also weighed in on the Paleo Rosso, awarding it 96 points and calling it “elegant,” with “fine tannins,” and “excellent length.” The Paleo Bianco found favor with Jeb Dunnuck, who extolled its ‘fresh, mineral-driven profile,” its “crisp salinity balanced by silky texture,” and its capacity to reward both immediate drinking and longer-term cellaring.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
The Scrio (just 4,000 bottles made) arrives with an urgency, its dark fruit pressing forward with a kind of physical insistence before the tension gives way to an almost saline pull of minerality, which keeps everything taut and alive. The Messorio moves differently. It spreads rather than surges, covering the palate with a soft, almost velvet-weighted richness that nonetheless is full of life. The fruit is whole and generous, not extracted, not constructed, and the finish carries a crushed-stone coolness that lingers well past what you might expect. Of the group of reds, the Paleo Rosso, sourced from some of the oldest fruit on the estate, might be the most kinetic. It’s nervy and aromatic, with a crackle of energy that reminds you why Cabernet Franc, in the right hands and from the right soil, can astonish. Its white counterpart, the Paleo Bianco, is surprisingly complex and unusually assured, and we loved its minerality and texture. As for the Bolgheri Rosso, at a head-shaking $38, it does what only Le Macchiole can pull off at this price: it tastes as though it comes from somewhere specific; a land, a time.
THE STORY:
Bordeaux varieties and blends reign supreme in Bolgheri, and few estates have made a more compelling case for them than Le Macchiole. Forbes has called it "a sliver of France in Italy," though it's perhaps truer, and more honoring, to say that these wines draw from both traditions and transcend them. They're Super Tuscans of astonishing complexity, expressive power, and intricate nuance that have long been the object of serious collectors' attention. The founding story is by now a kind of myth, the one that starts with everyone thinking the founder was all wrong. When Eugenio Campolmi left the family restaurant in the 1980s to grow grapes in then-obscure Bolgheri, his parents were unconvinced, and worried he was setting himself up for failure. Bolgheri had little cachet, a dim commercial outlook, and no particular reason to attract a young man with ambitions. Four decades later, no one is laughing … and the estate, refusing to settle into the comfortable role of standard-bearer, continues to innovate, with techniques like amphora fermentation, all while never wavering from its commitment to single-varietal expression. The Scrio draws from two distinct Syrah sites: a lower vineyard that contributes roundness and sweet fruit, and a hillside parcel 200 meters above sea level with schistic soils and head-pruned vines that brings the acidic tension and linear precision. The push and pull between the two is, in many ways, the entire story of Le Macchiole in miniature. A story of terroir, ultimately.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH:
The Messorio and Scrio are powerful, commanding wines that want big, earthy Tuscan flavors. Think: a wild boar ragù, an herb-crusted lamb, a roasted duck with sage and thyme. The Paleo Rosso is a versatile, companionable wine that will make matches with everything from duck confit to Persian lamb stew to a plate of aged, ripe cheeses. Seafood, in all its array of preparations, is what the Paleo Bianco calls for: a grilled branzino, a lobster roll, a Goan fish curry, a tangy ceviche. The Bolgheri Rosso is for those lazy weeknights when you’re too tired to put forth a lot of effort to cook, and just want to whip up a simple plate of pasta or call in for a pizza.
FUN FACT:
Le Macchiole holds the distinction of being the first winery in Bolgheri to produce an all-Cabernet Franc bottling.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we only source directly from the producer to ensure that your bottles arrive as they should: with pristine provenance guaranteed. Secure your bottles and cases today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th. 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in IL, KS, MI, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Friday, July 24th, 2026.