2021 | Le Macchiole | Paleo Bianco

White Wine: 2021 | Le Macchiole | Paleo Bianco

The 2021 Paleo Bianco is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Sauvignon Blanc that offers fresh acidity, creamy citrus and plenty of sharp mineral definition.

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Producer: Le Macchiole

Ratings: WA | 97

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml

ABV: 13%

Varietal: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Country/Region: Italy, Tuscany

The 2021 Paleo Bianco is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Sauvignon Blanc that offers fresh acidity, creamy citrus and plenty of sharp mineral definition.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The 2021 Paleo Bianco is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Sauvignon Blanc that offers fresh acidity, creamy citrus and plenty of sharp mineral definition. This mid-weight white sees partial oak. Only 10% of the Chardonnay sees barrique, and the rest goes into bigger tonneaux. The Sauvignon Blanc goes directly into stainless steel. The purpose of this two-phased approach is to maintain the almost salty aromas that emerge so gracefully. They did not want to prioritize the heavy sweetness or excessively tropical notes of the Chardonnay. This wine will hit the market in March 2023 but was bottled in April of this year. The first vintage made was 1991, and at the beginning, some Vermentino was used in the blend. Later, the blend was mostly Sauvignon Blanc with Chardonnay as support, but the roles were later reversed. By the way, I tasted the 1992 vintage of this wine at a local restaurant, and it was stunning.

Producer Information

Le Macchiole is an estate in the Bolgheri district of Tuscany particularly known for its three varietal IGT Toscana red wines. Paleo, Messorio and Scrio are often judged to be among the best examples of their type produced in Italy. The estate covers 24 hectares (60 acres) in Bolgheri, divided between clay-loam soils and a more limestone-influenced soil. The diversity of this terroir means site selction is vital for the various varieties. The vines have been farmed organically since 2002. La Macchiole was founded in 1983 by a young couple, Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli. They released their first vintage in 1987, with the first release of the flagship Paleo released in 1989. At the time, Paleo was a Bordeaux blend, but in the 1990s, La Macchiole began to move toward making varietal wines. Campolmi passed away in 2002, and the estate has been run by Merli since. Paleo began life as a Bordeaux blend but is now made entirely from Cabernet Franc, and is one of the most famous wines from this variety in the world. It is fermented in stainless steel and cement vats then aged for 20 months in barriques, of which 75 percent are new. Messorio is 100 percent Merlot, fermented in stainless steel and larger barrels then aged in the same way as Paleo. Scrio is a Syrah, which sees 20 months aging in 75 percent new oak. The estate makes two other wines: a barrique-fermented Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay blend called Paleo Blanc and a entry-level red wine called Le Macchiole, made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.