Wine Advocate / A. Galloni i Maj 2010:
90 points 2008 PALEO Bianco
92 points 2008 Bolgheri Rosso
95 points 2007 PALEO Rosso
96 points 2007 SCRIO
96 points 2007 MESSORIO
Le Macchiole crafted some of the most successful wines in Bolgheri in 2007. Proprietor Cinzia Merli and long-time consulting oenologist Luca D’Attoma continue to make important strides, as the estate’s wines seem to be heading for a less obvious, decidedly elegant style than has sometimes been the case in the past. A conversion to biodynamic farming in some of the estate’s vineyards and a more enlightened use of French oak are among the recent developments at Le Macchiole. The 2008 Paleo Bianco (Chardonnay, Sauvignon) is terrific in this vintage. A rich, textured white, the Paleo Bianco flows with the essence of ripe peaches, mint and flowers, all beautifully supported by a clean vein of minerality that follows through to the impeccable, classy finish. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2012. Le Macchiole’s 2008 Bolgheri Rosso is a gorgeous wine. Ripe dark fruit melds into flowers, smoke, licorice, tar and minerals as this fresh, vinous red opens up in the glass. There is a wonderful purity and sheer density to the fruit that caresses the palate all the way through to the round, engaging finish. This is one of the more important vintages of the Bolgheri Rosso I can remember. Simply put, it is terrific. The Rosso is made from the estate’s second selection of vineyards. The quality of the 2008 augurs extremely well for the estate’s higher-end bottlings. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. The 2007 Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Franc) offers up a compelling, nuanced array of smoke, dark cherries, mocha and grilled herbs in a style that reveals considerable richness and opulence but also quite a bit of verve, minerality and sheer structure. The wine has begun to shut down considerably since it was bottled and will require quite a bit of patience. Still, it is impossible to miss the silkiness of the tannins, the impeccable purity of the finish and the wine’s exceptional overall sense of harmony. This brilliant effort will be a joy to follow over the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. The estate’s 2007 Scrio (Syrah) is simply breathtaking. This rich, opulent red caresses the palate seamlessly with masses of dark fruit in a large-scaled expression of Syrah. Spices, mint and flowers develop in the glass, adding further shades of nuance. The plushness of the fruit builds towards a rich, immensely rewarding finish. Scrio is fermented in open-top French oak barriques, and the oak is noticeable at this stage, so the wine is best left alone in the cellar for a few years. This is magnificent juice! Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. The 2007 Messorio is another standout. A super-ripe expression of fruit is balanced with considerable structure, delicacy and finesse, with scents of mocha, graphite, French oak, licorice and new leather that emerge over time. Over the last few months the Messorio has absorbed its oak beautifully. The finish is long, nuanced and utterly impeccable. That said, this remains an intense, towering wine in need of a long slumber. The 2007 isn’t one of the more massive Messorios, instead it is a wine built on elegance. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027

Wine Advocate / A. Galloni:
98 points 2006 Messorio
The 2006 Messorio (Merlot) is off the charts. This extraordinary wine possesses a breathtaking combination of super-ripe fruit that has been achieved with remarkable freshness, vibrancy and clarity. There is superb transparency to the wine’s fruit, along with a sublime finish that lasts forever. Ideally a few years of cellaring are called for, but readers will have a hard time exercising such patience. This profound Messorio from proprietor Cinzia Merli and oenologist Luca D’Attoma left me speechless. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026.

93 points Paleo 2006
93 points Paleo 2005
The 2006 Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Franc) bursts from the glass with an exciting array of violets, minerals, dark cherries, grilled herbs and French oak. This is a sensual, layered Paleo endowed with tons of elegance and class. The refined finish and silky tannins are those of a first-rate wine. Today the oak is a bit pronounced, but another year or two in bottle should help the wine come together. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2019. The 2005 Paleo (Cabernet Franc) is impressive. Wild herbs, roasted coffee beans, new leather, minerals and dark fruit emerge from this long, refined wine. Although the intensity tapers off slightly on the mid-palate, this is an absolutely gorgeous wine loaded with style and personality. Still tightly wound, it needs further bottle age to reach its peak. It is arguably the most successful of the estate's 2005s. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2017.

90 points 2007 Bolgheri Rosso
"The 2007 Bolgheri Rosso (50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet, 15% Syrah, and 5% Sangiovese) is especially successful. This sexy red flows from the glass with generous dark fruit, sweet herbs and French oak. Medium to full in body, this glorious, ripe wine bodes extremely well for the estate’s top bottlings. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. "

Wine Spectator:
100 points Messorio 2004: "Beautiful, subtle aromas of berries, cappuccino and black olive are amazing. Full-bodied, with ultrarefined tannins and a long, long finish. Goes on for minutes. Leaves me speechless. This is soulful. A Tuscan cult wine you don't want to miss."