1999 Le Macchiole, Merlot Messorio, Tuscany, Italy

WOW..what a nose. Monster baby with marzipan, glycerine, mint, and layers of depth with fresh herbs all over. Opulent and decadent -can you say that? The taste is again multi dimensional and the finish of the wine has three fazes. On my TN-paper it says – first extremely dry then softens and then again dry and extreeeeemly long. That wine is amazing (99)

Fri 24 Dec, 2004

1999 Le Macchiole, Messorio, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

Deep red. Marzipan, chocolate, mint, white pepper combined with liquorice, glycerine and lots of minerals. Still many notes, but it’s a baby yet. The surface of the wine is like a layer and it’s almost impossible to enter the full scale of the wine. The taste is a chapter of it’s own. 1min. “and counting” (like in the James Bond movies)…unbelievable. And still so elegant, that the hole idea and spirit of this wine. It touched something in me every time I taste at. But I am sorry Messorio not a 100p this time. Maybe in 6 years time (97+)

Wed 08 Dec, 2004

1999 Le Macchiole, Messorio, Tuscany, Italy

The hardest part for me when writing this note is to be objectively as it’s my favourite Tuscan wine we are talking about. So please believe me when I say, that I had no idea when Messorio was going to be served. Believe me also when I tell you that this wine is a world of its own. Its magical nose is so massive and has so many corners to seek. I told myself before hand, than when I smelled Marzipan, blueberry and Tuscan herbs then the Messorio bell should ring – and the alarm went of more than once here. We are defiantly talking opulent here and it’s a beast of a wine, but the minerals and Tuscans herbs is the trick and what makes this wine a true star. But there is more to come. The taste is a chapter of its own. When the wine touches the palate, you felt the elixir straight away and the structure is elegant, bold, and opulent at the same time. The finish is never ending and we are talking more than a minute here. So we are very close to perfection here. I don’t mark it at totally perfection as I believe that it could have had the final emotional touch, but please excuse me when I say, that I have no idea of what that note should be made of. (99)

Mon 05 Dec, 2005

1999 Le Macchiole, Merlot Messorio, Tuscany, Italy

Far more raw in style – structural pitch is much higher and the previous blueberries, marzipan notes and far more shy now in the 1999. After 1 hour in the glass the fruit contracts a bit, revealing more finesse, herbs but overall a reminder that the wild 1999 is about to close down. Taste has always been insane in the 1999 and it still is, but a roasted coffee note confirms IMHO that it’s about to loose its baby fat. Once again the link to Bordeaux is underlined and it really suits the 1999. This wine has many years of future ahead of it, but don’t touch it the next 4-5 years. (99+pts)

Messorio Vertical Thu 14 Sep, 2006