2018 Paleo Rosso
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Tasting notes
From a fresh vintage, a gorgeous perfume floats from the glass of the 2018 Paleo, with a floral emphasis as well as pure fruit of cherry and raspberry, lavender, and fresh herbes de Provence. Medium to full-bodied, with freshness and a weightless feel, I love this wine, one of my favorites of this tasting. Pure, refreshing, and energetic, this will be dangerously easy drinking now and over the next 20+ years. One of the benchmark wineries of Bolgheri, Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli purchased the estate in 1983 and planted their first four hectares of vines. Today, Cinzia Merli is joined by her two sons, Elia and Mattia, who work together to run the estate. Their holdings now consist of ten parcels, eight in Bolgheri and two in Bibbona, just to the north. In the vineyards, they practice organic farming while also implementing some biodynamic practices. Paleo Rosso’s first vintage was in 1989, before becoming exclusively dedicated to Cabernet Franc in 2001. Today, they make some of the most compelling ranges of single varietal wines. Messorio is dedicated to Merlot, Scrio to Syrah, and Paleo Rosso to Cabernet Franc.
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Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
You could argue that this wine changed Italian wine, because it was the first to fully embrace the potential of Cabernet Franc in the bel paese. The Le Macchiole 2018 Paleo has a spicy and tangy personality with dark fruit, bitter chocolate and tarry smoke. Coming back to my open bottle 24 hours later, I got some green olive and rosemary essence. The mouthfeel fleshes out considerably, and there is beautiful structure to hold it firmly together. Other vintners in Bolgheri have told me of their difficulties with Cabernet Franc in the 2018 vintage, which saw rain toward the end of the season. This wine feels magically immune to those issues and probably means that the expert vineyard team harvested at the right moment.
Aromas of blackberries, blueberries, plums, chocolate and mushrooms. Itâs full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and lively acidity. Round and creamy with harmony and balance. Fresh, yet focused, with chocolate and black-fruit character. Long, flavorful finish with some spices. Drinkable now, but best from 2022.
Le Macchiole's 2018 Paleo Rosso is an unbelievably beautiful wine. It is also very young. The aromatics are total seduction, but otherwise the 2018 is quite reticent. Bright floral notes and red-toned fruit give the 2018 considerable energy and verve as varietal Franc aromas and flavors start to take shape over time. Readers will have to be patient. The 2018 needs at least a few years in bottle to fully blossom. Even so, it is pretty appealing today.