2021 Stefano Amerighi Syrah

WINEMAKER: Stefano Amerighi
REGION: Tuscany, IT
VARIETY: Syrah
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

100% Syrah, a portion of which are partially de-stemmed, while some are left whole and still others are lightly foot pressed. Fermentation occurs spontaneously in small concrete vats and without the use of pumps, sulfur or temperature control. The wine is then allowed to clarify naturally and is moved to various vessels for aging (mostly concrete and Clayver ceramic orbs, but a small portion does go into large oak casks).

"This 2021 is a superb example of fragrant, tense and mineral Syrah. Here is something with nuance, with verve. The aromas are captivating and display the wild beauty of Syrah with a floral flourish. A wine of contemplation and inspiration displaying Syrah’s nobility and virility alongside myriad exquisite fragrances and superfine texture. Stefano is the Italian importer for Pierre Gonon and if Jean and Pierre made a Syrah in Tuscany I imagine it would go along these lines." - Andrew Guard

"After an in-depth geological investigation beginning in 2001, Stefano identified eight hectares of land well-suited to his project: southeast exposure, a mix of silty clay sedimentary soil, and a base of thriving microorganisms. Stefano's cru is in Poggiobello di Farneta, in the Chiuso di Cortona, the last hills descending down from the town. This is an area that was not a seabed during the Pliocene, unlike much of its surroundings. Interestingly, it's a goldmine not just for winemakers but also for paleontologists, as dinosaur fossils abound on this little "island."

Next came the sourcing of the materia prima: his selections of Syrah came from some famous estates of the southern and northern Rhone, as well as some Italian Syrah clones. Since the beginning, Stefano has adhered to the principles espoused by Rudolf Steiner and Masanobu Fukuoka. He views the farm as a complex holistic system. As such he employees six people year-round to follow the cycles of nature. He has fruit trees (200 different heirloom varieties), various grains, olives, Chianina cattle, pigs, geese, and hens. He is maniacal about low-impact farming. Stefano says, "if it’s wet we don’t use the tractor, but rather a backpack pump sprayer—two or three treatments a year are done completely manually like this, like one hundred years ago. Usually, we work the rows in an alternating fashion—one ‘on’ and one ‘off.’ In the ‘off ’ rows, we don’t work them or even step on them for a year, not even for treatments. When I started this project in 2001, a few people considered me a visionary, but most thought of me as a bischero." (KR: Tuscan dialect. Literally 'tuning fork,' but colloquially 'a fool'). Things change. Today, Stefano is the president of the consorzio of Cortona." - Bowler Wine