2015 Le Macioche Brunello di Montalcino

• Triple 93pt Ratings: Unanimous Critical Reviews
  
• Cotarella consulting: 100pt winemaker
• From Leading Wine Producing Family
• "Historical Year for Brunello & Nobody Should Miss" ~JS
  
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• Free Shipping on 12 or More Bottles

About the Wine

Le Macioche sits in the center of the Montalcino appellation, just about 5 minutes due southeast from Montalcino. The Cotarella family took over the property in 2017 and this gave them the opportunity to release 2015 as their first vintage.

The estate is less than 10 total acres of vines and yields an extremely small production. The Cotarella's are one of the leading wine-producing families in all of Italy. Renzo Cotarella played a prominent role in establishing the Antinori empire while older brother Riccardo Cotarella is highly regarded as the leading wine consultant in all of Italy. Cotarella wines are in high demand and short supply, taste the legacy of one of Italy's top wine-producing families. 

Nestled in a prestigious neighborhood among such prominent addresses as San Polo and Fattoria dei Barbi, Le Macioche is unique in that its four sections of Brunello vineyard, spread over 7.5 acres, are all exposed to the Southwest. This, along with the elevation of roughly 1,400 feet above sea level, ensures both exceptional ripening and constant ventilation throughout each growing season.  Such auspicious conditions have enabled Le Macioche to safely exercise organic farming practices with the 2018 vintage marking the estate’s full organic certification.

Le Macioche has always held a reputation for producing wines that display a degree of elegance and finesse. Winemaking at the estate is intended to provide this unique terroir the best possible opportunity to express itself clearly while remaining highly faithful to the estate’s past. Minor updates, like a pre-fermentation cold-soak, are intended to enhance the components of elegance for which the wine has always been known without altering its character.

Tasting Notes

 A Brunello with the typical aromas of Le Macioche. Ruby red with notes of dried wild plum, fresh juniper woodland, and white musk. Clean, deep, and pleasant with elegant tannins and a very long finish. With an unmistakable, unrivaled tone and candor.

Vintage Report from James Suckling:

"The 2015 vintage is a historical year for Brunello and nobody should miss it. The wines show impressive precision of vivid fruit, fine tannins, and freshness in acidity despite their ripeness and richness which makes them some of the most exciting in years. The growing season in 2015 was impressive. The winter and spring had plenty of rain to make up for the intense sun and heat during the summer. There was some rain in September before the harvest to freshen the vineyards. And as noted before, good vineyard management compensated for the hot weather during the growing season, and sorting out dried grapes at harvest was extremely important for making exceptional wines." 

Critical Reviews

The Le Macioche 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Cotarella opens to a classic interpretation of the vintage, with a pure and pristine quality of fruit that shines especially bright in this warm and sunny vintage. The best Brunellos capture that proverbial red fruit energy and crunchiness that is natural to Sangiovese. This carefully crafted wine easily achieves that level of purity. This vintage was bottled and crafted (but not harvested) by the Cotarella family, the current owners of Le Macioche since 2017, a boutique estate at the heart of Montalcino. ~93 Wine Advocate

Extremely floral with dried-tea, strawberry, and cherry aromas. Full-bodied and chewy with a flavorful finish. Bitter orange at the end. Needs time to open. ~93 James Suckling

Packed with ripe cherry, strawberry, floral and mineral aromas, and flavors, this red is charming and harmonious. Already approachable, with refined tannins that should be absorbed in the short term. Fine length. ~93 Wine Spectator

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