The 2008 Messorio is simply marvelous in this vintage. Layers of dark fruit take shape beautifully in the glass as this reticent Messorio shows off its pedigree. The 2008 is a decidedly inward wine that, once again, stands apart from some recent vintages. The 2008 is a mid-weight, refined Messorio endowed with tons of balance and sheer finesse. It will be a fascinating wine to follow in the coming years. The 2008 Messorio was aged for 14 months in the standard French oak barrique (75% new), a move away from the smaller barrels that had been used in past years. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. These may very well be the finest wines I have ever tasted from Le Macchiole. There is no question these are the best wines the estate has ever produced relative to the overall quality and potential of the vintage. Over the years this cutting edge estate has been at the forefront of many developments in Maremma and Italy including working with low yields, densely planted vineyards and using small 112 liter barrels for the flagship Merlot, Messorio. Proprietor Cinzia Merli and long-time oenologist Luca d’Attoma have continued to search for ways to improve. These 2008s show the direction of the future. New oak levels are down, the quality of coopers is up and the estate is moving towards larger 500-liter barrels on some of the wines. Le Macchiole has always produced stunning fruit. Now that much of the makeup is beginning to come off the wines it is obvious the estate’s potential is limitless. Nowhere is a return to a more classic style in Italy more evident than at Le Macchiole.Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

This vintage marks another philosophical shift for this important Tuscan wine, especially in terms of tannin management. The 2008 Messorio sees 25% neutral oak. The idea was to return to mixed oak vessels, with new and neutral oak, for its 18-month aging period. This was also a difficult year that required very careful berry selection and lots of work to pick out the best fruit on the sorting table. Various vineyard parcels were harvested independently and vinified separately. But despite the fussiness, Le Macchiole had reached a point of winemaking maturity at this point that allows for more intelligent and innovative decisions. This wine has a long way to go and I'd venture that it's just barely entering its drinking prime. The bouquet is dark and sophisticated, but it is fluid and ever-changing as well.

Cool and aloof, in a restrained blueberry-, blackberry- and mineral-flavored way. Though concentrated, this is fresh, fluid and elegant, with a tightly wound finish. Requires patience. Merlot. Best from 2014 through 2028. 875 cases imported. -BS