Le Macchiole Messorio 2011

Professional Ratings

• 95 James Suckling
  Amazing aromas of sexy, decadent fruit with blackberry, dark chocolate and cedar. Full body with fine tannins and a long, long finish. Drink or hold. Better in 2015.
• 94 Wine Spectator
  Rich, ripe and dense, sporting black cherry and leather flavors and hints of tar and tobacco leaf. Powerful and well-structured, with a long, tobacco- and mineral-inflected finish. Merlot. Drink now through 2024. 835 cases made.
• 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  A pure expression of Merlot, the 2011 Messorio is a gorgeous wine that is already drinking at near-optimal performance now. It will be exciting to see where five to ten more years of cellar evolution take it. Cinzia Merli and her vineyard team took care to harvest the early-ripening varietal before autumn heat spikes. In fact, the integrity of the fruit is impeccable and you don’t get any of the jammy notes that are common in this warm vintage. The bouquet is broad and approachable with intense cherry, chocolate and tobacco. Supporting aromas of cola, grilled herb and exotic spice flesh out the finish. The tannins are plump and sweet.
• 94 Wine & Spirits
  A bright menthol note buoys this merlot’s lush dark fruit, revealing layers of licorice, herbs and dark chocolate. Silky tannins give shape and dimension without impeding the rich flavors. Beautiful now for its vivacity, length and purity, this will be even more expressive in four to five years’ time.
• 93 Wine Enthusiast
  Made entirely with Merlot, this full-bodied wine opens with aromas of ripe berry, coffee, vanilla, exotic spice and a whiff of grilled herb. The concentrated palate doles out fleshy black cherries, juicy raspberries licorice, chocolate and tobacco, while velvety tannins provide the framework. A note of dried sage closes the finish. It's already approachable but will continue to age well for several years or more. Drink through 2023.