First produced in 1994, Messorio started as a personal challenge with one of the most planted varieties not only in Bolgheri, but across the Tuscan coast and throughout the world: Merlot. From the start, the idea was to take the best bunches and transform them into an impactful wine with a big personality, staying as far away as possible from the more soft, predictable style that is often associated with Merlot and instead making a thoroughbred eager to win the race. The name “Messorio” refers to the wheat harvest, one of the most fundamental parts of the agricultural cycle
The winter of 2023 saw slightly above average temperatures and little rain. Early spring temperatures were lower and led to delayed budbreak, which started the first week of April. Rain continued to be scarce until the end of May. Summer began with a rapid rise in temperatures, which, coupled with the rainfall in late May, brought about rapid vegetation development, resulting in an abundance of leaf growth. The rains at the beginning of the summer also contributed to a prolonged flowering phase, delaying fruit set by 10-15 days. The summer continued with frequent precipitation between the second week of June and the second week of July, but the situation quickly changed as the weather became increasingly hot and dry, which led to an acceleration in ripening in August. Unlike the prior year, the start of harvest was more or less in line with the average timing in the region, around the third week of August. The Chardonnay grapes were harvested first, followed five days later by Sauvignon Blanc. Harvest of the red varieties began immediately thereafter and ended at the beginning of October. The harvest of the Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes was harder than the others as a result of the irregular summer weather, which led to a slight imbalance in the development of the plants. This made it difficult to establish the right time to begin harvest, and we had to combine technological parameters with the taste and health of the grapes. It is also important to note the many significant downy mildew infections in 2023 that were seen between mid-June and late July and led to a decrease in production of Chardonnay and Merlot and to a lesser degree Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon at our winery.
Technical Sheet
Denomination: Toscana IGT
First Vintage: 1994
Grape varieties: 100% Merlot
Vineyards: Vignone 1999, Ulivino 2016
Training System: guyot
Yield: 900 gr per plant
Harvest period: first and second week of September
Winemaking: fermentation and maceration for 20 days in concrete tanks
Aging: 16 months in new oak barrel, conical trunk cask and stoneware amphora
