Andrew Guard

2021 Cortona Syrah DOC, Stefano Amerighi

This 2021 is again 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.

Stefano Amerighi is making some of the best Syrah on the planet from his base at Cortona, in Southern Tuscany. Stefano, is one of the most interesting, intelligent winemakers I have met over the years and his passion for Syrah has taken him to the Rhone Valley many times over the years where he has crafted friendships with all the greats!

Syrah has a presence in Cortona dating back to the late 1700s. The noted ampelographer Attilio Scienza began a nearly 30-year study of the Cortona zone starting in the late 1970s. He found the terroir remarkably similar to the Rhone Valley, both in terms of climate and geology. Syrah was already here; it made sense that it would be the benchmark for any forthcoming wine appellation. Using Professor Scienza's findings, Cortona was granted DOC status in 1999.