Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A stunning syrah; the real McCoy for the variety. The depth of aroma takes your breath away with bark, tea leaves, peppermint, dried rosemary, thyme, sage, pressed violets, cedar, creme de cassis, blackcurrants and lavender. The palate is incredibly tight and yet, profound in its delivery of flavors. Full body, layer upon layer of fruit of every color on the spectrum, pinpoint acidity and a finish that seems endless. Drink in 2025 and way beyond.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
It's worth noting that the Scrio was not made in 2014, as Syrah did not reach the right maturity for the quality Le Macchiole looks for. The 2015 growing season wasn't much easier, with 15 days of extreme heat in July. August brought cooler weather, and so they tried to slow down the ripening process by doing very little green harvest. This vintage is marked by more pepper than fruit, but it's still a beautiful effort, and I see a lot of potential for aging this wine. The 2015 Scrio is made with a more reductive approach overall, and this vintage needs a year or two to open fully.
-
Wine Spectator
Deep and saturated in both color and fruit, with core flavors of ripe plum, blackberry and black cherry, this red also offers interwoven notes of earth, vanilla, licorice and black pepper. This is solidly built, yet also polished and balanced, with a long, palate-staining finish. Best from 2021 through 2038.
-
Wine & Spirits
Merli significantly reduced the influence of new wood in the 2015 vintage, moving to larger and older barrels (all second pass). The result is a syrah with nuanced scents of violet and wild thyme and concentrated, plummy flavors accented by notes of grilled game and cracked black pepper. The meaty tannins suggest that this will continue to improve over several years.
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.