Le Macchiole, 2017 IGT Toscana "Paleo Rosso"
Cab Franc du Jour #98
Le Macchiole was established in 1983 by Bolgheri native Eugenio Campolmi, and the estate is without question one of the region’s great pioneering wineries. Following Eugenio’s passing in 2002, the estate has been run by his wife Cinzia Merli and their two sons Elia and Mattia. They farm 34 hectares of organically certified vineyards planted with the traditional Bordeaux varieties alongside Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The estate was among the first in the region to champion single-varietal wines, introducing Messorio, a 100% Merlot, and Scrio, a 100% Syrah, both in 1994. But the Paleo Rosso remains the estate’s flagship, with the first vintage in 1989. Originally Cabernet Sauvignon-based, the wine was transitioned to 100% Cabernet Franc in 2001 as the variety’s exceptional performance in their vineyards became increasingly clear.
Bolgheri’s Wine History
While the Bolgheri DOC was not established until 1983, the region’s viticultural roots stretch back to the 7th century BCE, when the ancient Etruscan civilization established winemaking practices here long before the Greeks or Romans, making this one of the earliest areas of viticulture on the European continent. Despite those ancient origins, sustained agricultural activity did not take hold until the 1600s, and a wave of phylloxera, downy mildew, and powdery mildew in the late 19th century effectively ended viticultural activity in the region.
The modern story began in 1930 when Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta, uncle of Marchese Piero Antinori, arrived in Bolgheri following his marriage to Countess Clarice della Gherardesca. Unimpressed with the quality of wines being made locally at the time, and struck by the similarities between Bolgheri’s landscape and soils and those of Bordeaux, he planted his first vineyard at Tenuta San Guido in the early 1940s with French varieties, and Sassicaia was born. The original Bolgheri DOC provided protections only for white and rosé wines, but with the success of Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and others, the rules were updated in 1994 to include red wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Rapid expansion followed, and the region today has 1,370 hectares under vine.
Bolgheri Today
Cabernet Sauvignon leads plantings at around 34%, while Cabernet Franc is the third most planted variety at approximately 16%, or about 250 hectares. In recent years, as climate change has pushed conditions warmer, Cabernet Franc has shown remarkable resilience compared to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, performing more consistently in warmer vintages. Since 2014, Cabernet Franc plantings have increased by 60%, while both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have declined, by around 16% and 9% respectively.
Bolgheri’s Growing Environment
The region sits about 40km south of Livorno along Italy’s western coast, a compact area roughly 13km from north to south and only 5 to 6km wide at its main viticultural zone. It is bounded to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and to the east by the Colline Metallifere, a series of hills forming a natural amphitheatre over a landscape that slopes gently westward toward the coast. Vineyards begin just 2km from the sea, and conditions cool as you move inland. Elevations range from around 10 to 200m above sea level. The region receives around 600mm of rainfall annually distributed throughout the year, and while the climate is broadly Mediterranean, the amphitheatre’s orientation captures constant cooling breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea, making Bolgheri cooler than comparable coastal areas further along the Tuscan coast. The region sits at almost exactly the same latitude as Hondarribia in Spain’s País Vasco, Cabernet Franc’s birthplace, where a similarly strong marine influence prevails.
The soils are another important factor in the variety’s success here. The region has identified approximately 27 distinct terroir units across its small area. Textures range from very sandy near the coast at lower elevations to sandy-clays on terraces between 20 and 135m, with more silty-clays at higher elevations. Throughout the region the soils tend to be alkaline with varying amounts of calcareous materials, gravels, and iron-rich red sands and clay. Generally they are deep, with a good balance of moisture retention and drainage, qualities that are particularly beneficial for Cabernet Franc.
The Vineyard
Le Macchiole farms 9.5 hectares of Cabernet Franc across five vineyard sites. The Paleo Rosso is a selection from 5.5 hectares across three of these: Casanuova, Vignone, and Puntone. All three sites are located about 6km from the coast in the cooler inland zone of the region, roughly 3km south-southwest of the village of Bolgheri, at elevations of around 32 to 40m above sea level on gentle west-facing slopes. Planting dates vary by site: Casanuova was planted in 1998 and 2009, Vignone in 1999, and Puntone in 1994. The estate works exclusively with Clone 214 across all three sites. The soils have a sandy-clay texture but carry a somewhat higher clay content than much of the region, along with a higher proportion of fossilised marine sediments. Cinzia notes that each site contributes its own distinct character to the blend: Casanuova brings power and structure, Vignone provides finesse and fruit, and Puntone contributes spice.
In the Cellar
The fruit is hand-harvested and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in concrete with selected yeast at temperatures between 20 and 25C, with short, closed pump-overs during fermentation to aid extraction, and a total skin contact of approximately 20 days. The finished wine is a combination of free-run wine and press wine extracted only up to 0.5 bar of pressure. Aging takes place for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels.
Wine Details
Producer: Le Macchiole
Appellation: IGT Toscana
Region: Bolgheri
Municipality: Castagneto Carducci
Vineyard: Casanuova, Vignone, Puntone
Soils: Sandy-clay, with fossilized marine sediments (calcareous rocks)
Alcohol: 14.5%