Le Macchiole Toscana Messorio 2020 750ml

The year began with a rainy winter that saw higher than average temperatures, which brought about a slow start to pruning. Temperatures rose slightly in spring, causing rapid budding of both Chardonnay and Merlot, which in turn exposed those two varieties to a higher risk of frost damage at the beginning of April, when temperatures dropped to near freezing overnight for two consecutive nights. Thankfully, there was no evident damage as a result. Thanks to the water reserves accumulated during the winter rains, the rising temperatures during the second half of April brought about a rapid vegetative growth and constant development of the vine shoots, which continued through the entire month of May. The summer had a classic, positive start, with a slight delay of flowering, fruit set, and veraison due to the spring frost; the season ended with a very dry period that continued through all of harvest. Harvest began during the third week of August, as it had in previous years, and continued through the end of September, which saw rainfall during the final phases of the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon harvest.