Il Macchione is a winery in the Montepulciano region in Siena Province, Tuscany. It makes Rosso di Montepulciano DOC and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC red wines.

Owners: Leonardo Abram and his brother Simone.

Staff: Consultant: Mary Ferrara.

Vineyards:  7ha of land in total of which 6ha of vines (100% Sangiovese): 2.5ha planted in around 2000 plus another 1.5ha more recently planted, all at 6,000 vines/ha to guyot. Also 2ha of old vines at 3,500 vines/ha on cordon.

Terroir: The vines surround the house, on hill slopes, in the Le Caggiole sub-zone in the northern sector of Montepulciano. Soils comprise clay-loam (‘franco-argilloso’) with fossil deposits.

Viticulture: ‘Organic but not certified. No herbicides or systemics’, Simone Abram told me by ‘phone on 27th Oct 2015. They use seaweed-based sprays on the vines to stimulate resistance to pests and diseases. Cover crops include beans (‘favino’) for nitrogen.

Wine production: 15,000 to 20,000 bottles Simone Abram told me by ‘phone on 27th Oct 2015.

Winery, winemaking: They inoculate the tanks with a pied de cuve made from estate grapes. Cement vats (48hl). ‘Moving away from toasted oak barrel notes, looking to use steamed oak instead (Anteprima 2020).

Red wine

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Il Macchione: 2012 3,000 bottles. 12 months in barrel (two-thirds of which were used). Bright, a bit international but far from being over-extracted (Anteprima 2014). | 2016 100% Sangiovese. Mix of three soil types (see above). 12 months in oak. Balanced, savoury style (Anteprima 2018). | 2018 13.5%. 4,000 bottles.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Il Macchione: This ages 30 months Simone told me by ‘phone on 27th Oct 2015. | 2008 Ripe fruit, attractive tannins (Anteprima 2014). | 2009 Well weighted, nice fruit, nice tannin, well made (Anteprima 2014). | 2010 30 months in wood. 14%. Firm tannins, ripe fruit, good structure (Anteprima 2014). | 2014 Somewhat extracted (Anteprima 2018). | 2015 14.5% alc. Fluid, clear, youthful, nice flavour (Anteprima 2019).

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Riserva, Il Macchione: This ages 40 months. | 2012 Bottled. | 2013 Rich, tannins a bit four-square tight now but nice red fruit buried deep to compensate (Anteprima 2018), and still young (Anteprima 2019). | 2016 12,000 bottles. ‘Best vintage in 25 years,’ said a member of the Abram family (Anteprima 2020). | 

Sileo: Top selection of 1,000 bottles. From a hill site I think, windy. | 2009 Made from 2 tonneaux. | 2011 Made from two tonneaux. | 2013 50m in oak. 14.5%. 1,300 bottles. Selected from 3 or 4 tonneaux. Smooth Sangiovese with very approachable new oak (Anteprima 2019). | 2014 3,300 bottles. Picked 20 October as September was very wet

Contact

Podere Il Macchione

Via Provinciale, 18

Gracciano

53045 Montepulciano (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0578.758595 | Website: www.podereilmacchione.it