“Cinzia Merli’s introductory red is lush and lively in the 2016 vintage. Merlot plays the leading role in its fresh blueberry flavors and velvety texture, while smaller portions of cabernet sauvignon and franc firm up the structure and lend a touch of eucalyptus. It feels both playful and sophisticated, ready for a range of dishes.”

“The 2016 Paleo Bianco is mostly Chardonnay (90%) with a smaller element of Sauvignon Blanc (10%). This is a terrific white blend from the Tuscan coast that delivers loads of intensity, energy and impressive complexity. This is one of the most elaborate whites you can find in this beautiful part of Italy. The bouquet is redolent of stone fruit and honey. But the mouthfeel is more  interesting thanks to that playful hint of saffron or cinnamon that adds a touch of piquant spice on the close. This vintage shows great precision and focus.”

“Love the aromas to this wine with black olives, red chiles and violets. Full-bodied, very tannic and structured, yet polished and also in harmony. A rich, racy and wonderful young red. Pure  cabernet franc. Better in 2017.”

“Rich yet focused, with flavors of black currant, olive, tobacco and iron. Features a dense grain, yet all the components work together, with balance and light tannins on the fresh, coffee-tinged finish. Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2027.”

“A decadent syrah with loads of meat, dark fruits and hints of vanilla. Full-bodied, round and chewy yet leading to a long, long finish of fruit that turns to black pepper. Drink or hold.”

“Wow. This is the best syrah in Tuscany this year with incredible depth and beauty. The texture is so plush yet polished and caressing. Full body. The finish of chocolate, hazelnut, smoked meat, and fruit lasts for minutes. Drink or hold. Pure syrah.”

“A little lean for Messorio but plenty of tobacco, cedar and berry character. Medium body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to come together.”

Grapefriend’s latest newsletter urges readers to open and enjoy great bottles of wine right now, including Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso, because “a rough year just means you need to find smaller moments of happiness.”

We couldn’t agree more with writer Alyssa Vitrano’s POV that we all deserve to celebrate and treat ourselves wherever and however we can these days. As wine is an easy way to do that, she’s offered recommendations for Valentine’s Day, the Superbowl, or simply making it through Friday.

As far as your latest TV binge? If Tehran or Losing Alice are on the agenda, Vitrano says both shows “are dark and intense — a computer hacker on a failed mission gets stuck in Tehran, and a damaged director gets sucked into shooting a dark noir. You’ll need this complex Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso (a Tuscan blend of Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Syrah 20%) to ease the tension.”

Grapefriend highlighted the wines of Le Macchiole’s Cinzia Merli and Champagne Ayala’s Caroline Latrive in a newsletter honoring International Women’s Day on March 8.

Writer Alyssa Vitrano highlighted Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso 2018, explaining that Cinzia and her husband “transformed a small vineyard into one that made high quality Tuscan wines.” Following his passing, “Cinzia continued the evolution and her Bolgheri wines are excellent, like this peppery black currant Rosso blend (Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Syrah 20%).”

Continuing, the piece celebrates Champagne Ayala and its talented winemaker. “Born in Reims, Chef de Cave Caroline Latrive is another rare female cellar master in Champagne, having led the house since 2011. She creates fresh, elegant and low dosage wines like the Brut Majeur.”

Bruce Sanderson featured Le Macchiole’s beautiful expression of Merlot, Messorio, in Wine Spectator’s Decanted column. He recounted a vertical tasting experience dating back to 2001, focusing on the wine’s “ageability and promising future.”

Before delving into Messorio, he offers historical background on the winery. He speaks to the estate’s focus on single-variety wines, adding that “over the years, Messorio emerged as Le Macchiole’s flagship wine, earning the highest ratings and prices (the 2004 earned a 100-point rating on release).”

Sanderson explains, “the debut vintage was 1994, and Messorio has been made every year with the exception of 1996. I recently tasted eight vintages spanning two decades of Messorio, from 2001 to 2018, in an exclusive virtual meeting with Merli and winemaker Luca Rettondini, who came on board in 2008.”

What does Messorio stand for, you ask? Sanderson answers, “Messorio is the local dialect for a scythe used to harvest wheat, an important crop in Bolgheri a generation ago. Merli grew up in Bibbona, just north of Bolgheri, and recalls driving to Castagneto Carducci with her father as a young girl, passing fields of wheat and olives on either side of the Strada Bolgherese.”

“Bolgheri and the Tuscan Coast is the home of several pure manifestations of Merlot.” As it relates to this particular wine, he adds, “rather than aim for power, richness and concentration, Le Macchiole’s goal for Messorio is finesse and elegance. This is no easy feat, given Bolgheri’s benevolent climate and recent warmer growing seasons.”

This is a fabulous story worth reading in full to gain insight on the individual wines tasted, which can be found HERE