2020 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso Magnum

Le Macchiole is a relatively small domain (24 Ha) in the Bolgheri in Tuscany in Italy. The domain was founded in 1983 by Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli. Before 1983 Eugenio's father and grandfather already produced wines, mainly for his own use. The name "Le Macchiole" means "The place where everything started". The domain is best known for its wines, especially wines made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. With the 1987 harvest, the first wines were put on the market commercially. Especially in these early years, Eugenio and Cinzia produced multi-grape wines, focusing on Bordeaux blends. From the mid-1990s, they specialized in wines made from a grape variety.

Unfortunately Eugenio died in 2002, he was only 40 years old. At the moment, “Le Macchiole” is headed by his widow Cinzia. The first wine made under her leadership (since 1994) is the Messorio, a 100% Merlot wine that has been aged in wooden barrels (barriques) for 20 months and bottled without filtration. It is without doubt one of the best Merlots from Italy and can be compared to the best Merlots from Bordeaux. Total production is approximately 9000 bottles per year.

The Paleo Rosso is a wine that is all made from the Cabernet Franc grape, in the early years of this release the wine also contained small parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and / or Sangiovese. The wine was first released in 1989 and has been aged for 18 months in wooden barrels. The Paleo Rosso is one of the very best Cabernet Franc wines worldwide! Total production: 25000 - 30000 bottles.

The Scrio is the third wine from Le Macchiole, made from 100% Syrah. This wine can also compete with the best that can be made of Syrah, the style resembles that of the Rhône Valley in France. The first edition was in 1994, production is very limited: only 6,500 bottles.

Le Macchiole has become a reference for Bolgheri. In 2008, their top wine Messorio in WineSpectator was rated with 100/100 points.

Red wine is made from blue grapes. The wines get their dark colour from the skin of the grape, which ferments with the grape juice. The intensity of the colour is determined by how long the juice has matured; a young red wine will have a somewhat purple colour, while older wines tend to be more orange or brown-red.

With around 10,000 varieties of grapes worldwide, you can go in all directions.

The most well-known blue grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah / Shiraz.

Types of red wine

There are many different types of grapes with different characteristics and aromas. The differences within grape varieties are due to the difference in climate, the soil where the vines are planted, and the amount of sun.

The end result is in the hands of the winemaker. During the process from juice to wine, the winemaker still has a lot of options to change the final product into what he wants to put on the market.

The upbringing of the wine plays a major role in this. After fermentation, the process of raising and maturing the wine begins. There are many options for influencing the wine, but the most well-known concerns the ageing in wood.

If the winemaker chooses to raise the wine on wood, many things come into play. The first choice is whether new or older barrels will be used. Older, used barrels release less or no more aromas and tannins, but they still have an oxidative function. New wood barrels let in dosed oxygen and ensure that the wine has aromas and tannins. This is more intense with smaller barrels than with large wooden barrels.

Dry red wine

The most famous red wine is a dry red wine. The number of grape varieties and different taste profiles are enormous. There is a nice glass of red for every moment.

Sweet red wine

Just like sweet white wine, there is sweet red wine too! They are a lot rarer than dry red wines. If you want to try something different, it's definitely worth a try.

Alcohol-free red wine

Non-alcoholic wine is becoming more and more popular. Whether it is red non-alcoholic wine, white non-alcoholic wine, or sparkling non-alcoholic wine, more and more attention is being paid to it. Perfect for a cosy drink during pregnancy, or during a non-alcoholic month!

Red wine Gift

Red wine is fun to give, and even more fun to receive! Grandcruwijnen has ready-made wine gifts to make your gift recipient happy ;)

If you have your eye on a bottle of wine, at Grandcruwijnen we also have gift packaging to complete your gift! If you've found something you like, you can easily add a gift card during checkout.

Buy red wine online

At Grandcruwijnen you can easily buy red wine online. In our range, you will find products from the well-known grape varieties. If you want to buy a nice red wine, you have come to the right place at Grandcruwijnen. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us!

The cabernet franc is used to make red wine, this blue grape is the predecessor of the well-known cabernet sauvignon and grows in the cooler places in the Bordeaux and Loire region. Often the Cabernet Franc grape is blended with the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

All about the Cabernet Franc grape

The little brother of the Cabernet Sauvignon; the cabernet franc! The French blue grape is used for making red wine. They are thick-skinned grapes and are grown in France, mainly the Loire and Bordeaux. The grape is often blended with cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes.

In the Loire, the cabernet franc performs all by itself and ages in stainless steel or large barrels of old wood. In Bordeaux, the grape has to share the bottle with merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

The cabernet franc does well in relatively cool climates. Outside of France, the grape is grown in Northern Italy, California, and Hungary. The grape has an average ripening period and likes calcareous clay soil. Sandy soil is also possible, but then there must be sufficient moisture in the soil.

The grapes are smaller grapes with fewer tannins and slightly more acidity than its brother, the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aromas in the Cabernet Franc grape

They may be smaller grapes, but they have thick skin. The skin contains a lot of tannins in the wine. The most common flavors are:

• Blackberries
• Strawberry
• Pepper
• Tobacco
• Green pepper

When the Cabernet Franc has been aged in wood, it is a powerful wine with tannins. In warmer regions, the Cabernet Franc grape becomes a sweeter grape with more fruit notes. The more sunlight and heat a grape receives, the higher the amount of sugar in the grape. This creates wines with a higher alcohol percentage!

Wine and food: Cabernet Franc wine

The firm tannins and high acidity make this grape great with food. Great combinations are:

• Grilled tuna steak (with the lighter versions of this wine)
• Calf
• Spicy risotto

Do you already have a dish in mind, but you don't know which wine goes with it? Grandcruwijnen has a smart sommelier option. You enter the ingredients of the dish, and we guarantee a good match for the dish!

How long should you keep a Cabernet Franc?

These wines can be stored for a very long time because the wines have a high tannin content. In short; the higher the tannin content, the longer you can keep the red wine. With a longer time in the bottle, the tannins soften, and the wine forms a wonderful balance between all the aromas, tannins, and acidity.

Grandcruwijnen always displays a drinking window. With each wine, you can see in which years the wine has the best potential!

I would like to buy a Cabernet Franc wine

A cabernet franc is a wine that every wine drinker must taste! Grandcruwijnen has cabernet franc wines for every budget. Would you like to find out more about the grape or a specific recommendation? Please feel free to contact us!