The Le Macchiole 2019 Paleo reveals an extremely precise and etched personality that is perfectly suited to this classic vintage. If you love Cabernet Franc, this is your wine. The bouquet is linear and tight with wet gravel, lead pencil and graphite that make an elegant frame around blackberry and black plum. You taste every last miniature detail in this complex and powerful expression. Fruit comes from a 5.5-hectare plot that rises from 37 to 70 meters above sea level. The soils are a mix of clay, sand, silt, stone and limestone that is characteristic of this stretch of Tuscan coastline. The wine is fermented in cement and aged in barrique for 20 months. On second nose, Paleo begins to offer cardamom pod, exotic spice and fragrant rose water. With 25,400 bottles made, you need to give this glorious wine time to age.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP
The 2019 Le Macchiole Paleo included for the first time grapes from the Ulivino vineyard. This 2.7 ha vineyard, on the northern border of Bolgheri was planted in 2015. At 70 meters above sea level it is really a little hill, surrounded by forest and facing the sea. The Cabernet Franc is planted on an east/west exposure and Le Macchiole feel these grapes will add more power and freshness to the wine. It starts off with youthful, creamy, exotic spice and incense-like notes of oak, but underneath there is a lovely, leafy, raspberry note that is very distinctively Cabernet Franc. There is a beautiful, precise quality to the fruit, with dark berries, licorice, quinine notes and a very long finish. Like the 2016, this 2019 feels quite classical in style but it feels even more refined with firm but fine tannins.
The Wine Independent | 98 TWI
No written review provided. | 97 W&S
The 2019 Paleo, 100% Cabernet Franc, is a total stunner. Deep, plush and explosive, the 2019 possesses fabulous density and yet it is not at all heavy. All the elements are so well-balanced. Dark cherry, plum, chocolate, mocha, espresso and grilled herbs all meld together in the glass. The purity and persistence of the flavors is absolutely compelling. The 2019 is seriously impressive. I loved it. (Originally Published in March 2022)
Vinous Media | 96 VM
In 2019, Paleo regains its precise and stylish character alongside amazing concentration. Fermented and macerated in concrete, this Cabernet Franc is then aged in new French oak for 18 months. Dark and crimson, it shows restrained cassis wrapped up in a pallete of spices and milk chocolate, with assertive eucalyptus and delicious Parma violet. The palate is juicy and almost zesty, velvety and woven with tannins soaked in violet and cassis. Remarkable length with integrated toastiness.
Decanter | 96 DEC
A gripping high-wire act of balance and integration, with a nose of cedar chips, wild herbs, black pepper, bergamot and underbrush and a palate of bing cherry, mixed berries, soy sauce and licorice candy. Tannins that feel like a firm guiding hand and an acidic heat that simmers underneath come together for a showstopper. Drink now or enjoy through 2039.
Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE
A full-bodied, powerful and polished red with aromas of dark plums, dark cherries, tobacco, bay leaves, dark chocolate, mocha and cedar. Firm, ripe tannins. Compact and muscular. Yet, it remains fresh. Will soften. Try after 2025.
James Suckling | 95 JS
Boasts a beam of black currant fruit matched with black olive, bell pepper, wild rosemary, tar and vanilla aromas and flavors. A crisp and focused red, with light tannins lining the lively finish. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 2,120 cases made, 160 cases imported.
Wine Spectator | 94 WS
