2012 Paleo Rosso

I don't know too many producers who are more self-critical than Cinzia Merli. During my most recent visit, Merli poured a wide range of her wines with the specific intent of showing certain things she was not totally happy with. Alongside winemaker Luca Rettondini, Merli is charting the future for Le Macchiole with more confidence and conviction than in the past. Some of the recent developments include a greater reliance on larger format barrels and more focus on the quality of vineyards, especially in the Syrah Scrio, the wine in the lineup that has historically aged somewhat inconsistently. Not surprisingly, Merli is moving a significant portion of her Syrah to newly-developed hillside vineyards. The estate's 2012s are quite attractive, even if the lack of depth and overall intensity of the 2011s, wines from a vintage that Merli considers the modern-day reference point for her estate. I also tasted the recently bottled 2013s, wines that reflect a more moderate growing season with no shocks or heat spikes. Despite all of her successes, Merli remains incredibly driven and passionate to the point that it is quite clear that the best is yet to come. In a region that is increasingly dominated by deep-pocketed owners and glamorous wineries, Le Macchiole stands out for decidedly artisan wines that reflect more human values than is often commonly found in this part of Tuscany.

Bolgheri and Maremma more broadly are home to a number of showy, world-class estates. In that context, Le Macchiole stands out for its decidedly artisan scale and approach. The estate’s Messorio (Merlot) and Scrio (Syrah) seem to get most of the attention, while Paleo Rosso is sadly often overlooked. Over the last ten years, Paleo Rosso has established itself as one of the great wines of Tuscany and Italy. This vertical going back to 1992 provided an opportunity to check in on a large number of wines. The only vintage missing was 1998, which proprietor Cinzia Merli omitted because she wasn't entirely satisfied with the wine.