Le Macchiole doesn’t just produce great reds; in fact, Paleo’s alter ego, Paleo Bianco, hit the scene in 1991. It is produced in extremely small quantities, made with Chardonnay and a bit of Sauvignon Blanc. Its strong Mediterranean character boasts equal parts intensity, flavor, and depth. This is a wine that surprises, especially in terms of its ability to age.
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. ->
Denomination: Toscana IGT
First Vintage: 1991
Grape varieties: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyards: Casa Nuova 2009, Ulivino 2016
Training System: simple guyot
Yield: 1200 gr per plant
Harvest period: last week of august
Winemaking: 10 days in oak barrel + steel
Aging: 8 months, 10% in new oak barrel, 70% in second, third and fourth passage barrel and tonneaux, 20% steel tank
Bottling: May 30, 2024