Le Macchiole Paleo Italy Toscana 2019 (14% ABV) — 93.7
SF | Very complete colour; ruby deferring to magenta and vermillion. The palate impresses equally, its savoury notes enhanced by petrichor, wild mint and a hint of verbena. Behind that dark fruit and bitter chocolate, rosemary and smoked meat. A succulent, gastronomic allure completes the tableau, which depicts a more than happy alliance between varietal and location, the first clearly welcomed in a hitherto relatively unfamiliar environment. Very exciting, very challenging. 94
DW | Beautifully harmonious but detailed nose of berries and currants; lushly appealing and seamless in the mouth, with a mass of fine tannins and a seasoning of sage and subtly salty Mediterranean-breeze freshness. Very polished, insouciant, stylish, not a hair out of place.Drink Dates: 2024 - 2034. 94
AR | Quite deep and youthful in colour, just starting to shade towards garnet at the rim of the glass, there's also a degee of evolution in the bouquet which is rather lovely, full of fruit, light vanilla oak and a beguiling sweetness that are all nicely integrated, as one; with its cassis flavours and polished French oak, it's remarkably Bordeaux-like but telltale signs of Italianate acidity and a slight bitter twist of tannin bring a distinct umami savouriness to what is a very good wine.Drink Dates: 2024 - 2031. 93