Le Macchiole
2018 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso IGT
2018 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso IGT
First produced in 1989, this incredible wine is the symbol of the winery, and it truly epitomizes Bolgheri. At first, the wine was a classic Bordeaux blend but became a Cabernet Franc monovarietal in 2001; since then, it has been a huge success. The name "paleo" refers to a wild herb found on the Tuscan coast, and it symbolizes a strong local identity and the will to reach all goals.
A winter with temperatures in the seasonal average range, rainfall which continued throughout the spring period and budbreak slightly late as compared with the previous year because of the below-average temperatures. The abundance of water and moisture in the soil, which had suffered from the previous year's drought, and the rising of temperatures in early May caused the buds to burst and grow quickly. The winter and spring rainfall and the high amount of humidity in the air contributed to a rapid growth of the plants, preventing the air circulation from reaching the foliage and, thus, creating the ideal conditions for the downy mildew to attack the vines and requiring an attentive and intense work on the plants to contain the disease. During the summer period, the soil was worked frequently and carefully in order to control excess soil moisture. In addition, the vines were frequently topped, allowing for more air circulation to reach the foliage. In mid-July, green harvesting was performed, lessening the overall fruit load and improving the quality of that which remained. Harvesting began on schedule, in step with the "ordinary" vintages, starting with the white grapes harvested over the third week of August and ending on the third and fourth week of September with the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, all of good and excellent quality.