Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This Cabernet Franc is beautiful, with incredible succulence, persistence, heat, power and a full plate of enticing fragrances. Coffee, root beer, chocolate, Nutella, graham cracker and cherry liquor are only a few elements of the wine's complexity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Paleo (Cabernet Franc) is an intense, brooding wine imbued with the essence of dark fruit, scorched earth, grilled herbs, toasted oak and licorice. Made in a rich, super-concentrated style, this imposing Paleo will require patience. A second bottle took quite a bit of aeration before the elegance of its silky-textured tannins emerged. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020.
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Wine Spectator
The estate of Le Macchiole has been making great reds in Bolgheri for about a decade now. Paleo, made from Cabernet Franc, shows wonderfully intense floral and berry perfumes that lead to a racy and structured palate with ultrafine tannins. This wine will give many of the best St. Emilions a run for their money.
Long before it was fashionable, Eugenio Campolmi saw the potential of his homeland, buying his first vineyard in Bolgheri in 1975 baptised "Le Macchiole". In 1987, he hired famed oenologist Vittorio Fiore as a consultant before the later was joined by Luca d'Attoma for years later. In contrast to his renowned neighbors who focused on Bordeaux blends, Campolmi focused on achieving the purest expression of individual varieties, crafting distinct wines of unprecedented quality. Soon Le Macchiole joined Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Guado al Tasso as one of the most prestigious estates in Bolgheri. Following Eugenio's death in 2002, his wife Cinzia Merli, who shares her husband's passion, took over at the estate. Working with Luca D'Attoma, she has carried on her husband's legacy by continuing to make great Tuscan wines.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.