2011 Le Macchiole Messorio Rosso IGT

First produced in 1994, Messorio started as a personal challenge with one of the most planted varieties not only in Bolgheri, but across the Tuscan coast and throughout the world: Merlot. From the start, the idea was to take the best bunches and transform them into an impactful wine with a big personality, staying as far away as possible from the more soft, predictable style that is often associated with Merlot and instead making a thoroughbred eager to win the race. The name "Messorio" refers to the wheat harvest, one of the most fundamental parts of the agricultural cycle.

The weather of 2011 was quite variable. The winter season was rainy and the warm spring brought an early start to the growth cycle with a fast budbreak. The cooler temperatures in June and July, however, slowed down the process. Rain arrived at the right time, allowing the grapes to develop perfectly. A late-August heatwave sped up the ripening process again. The great care put into regulating fruit load on each plant allowed us to harvest perfectly healthy and ripe grapes, although slightly ahead of usual schedule. A new sorting area greatly improved and made the grape sorting process faster for each wine.