2020 Syrah

This new vintage is just terrific because it marries a sunny growing season with a grape like Syrah, which thrives in these conditions. The Tua Rita 2020 Syrah Per Sempre embraces juicy, full-bodied fruit with lots of blackberry, plum, sweet spice and campfire ash. Stefano Frascolla deliberately seeks to avoid any eucalyptus or camphor-like overtones. He looks for bold primary fruit instead. This is achieved through fruit ripeness, vineyard care and oak management. Syrah has a short harvest window, so timing is important. The vineyards are planted in marl soils with schistic material that is typical of the mineral-rich hills surrounding Suvereto. The wine goes from barrique to botte grande for an additional two or three months to stretch its legs. The 2019 vintage is gorgeous, but this expression from 2020 has more power and heft.