Toscana is well known for its Chianti and Brunello, Sangiovese based wines. But did you know Tuscany has some outstanding Syrah, like D’Alessandro Syrah Migliara 2008, for example?
2008 Migliara Syrah comes from Cortona DOC in the easternmost wine region of Tuscany and borders with Umbria. The main three varietals grown there are Sangiovese, Merlot, and Syrah. Syrah dominates the area and is the signature grape of Cortona.
But how did the great Rhone variety got here?
In the 1980s, the area has been subject to intense experimentation to determine the very best varieties for its soils and climate conditions.
Above all, Syrah performed the best and seemed to be the most suitable grape variety. The great grape of Rhone expressed itself here with its own character. It adapted well to warm, sunny, and dry environments, as well as sedimentary deposits of Pliocene origin: clays, sands, silts.
Tenimenti d’Alessandro Winery
Tenimenti d’Alessandro winery located in Manzano, down by the city of Cortona (Arezzo). The history of Tenimenti d’Alessandro is linked to Cortona and its rebirth as a place of excellent wine production. In 1967 by the d’Alessandro family purchased Fattoria di Manzano at the time when Cortona was unknown for the quality of the wine.
In 1987 they began experimenting with varietals by planting 10 acres of multiple varieties and discovering that area is ideally suited for Rhone varietals. The family followed by planting 80 acres of Syrah and Viognier. Now they are recognized as a benchmark producer of Syrah in whole Italy.
In 2015 Guiseppe Calabrese, partner of Massimo’s d’Allesandro since 2007, acquired the estate. In 2016 vineyard received organic certification by the European Union.
What’s interesting in 2018 Cortona was intentionally declassified from a more prestigious D.O.C to lower yet more recognizable Toscana I.G.T. class.
D’Alessandro Syrah Migliara 2008
So when we had D’Alessandro Syrah Migliara 2008, we were drinking more than high-quality Syrah. We were drinking a historical wine because from 2018 forward, you won’t find bottles with Cortona D.O.C. on it. Think of it as a rare edition stamp. At the time when we tasted this wine, we weren’t aware of it only learned about Cortona DOC’s demise while writing this article. Let’s hope we still have the bottle somewhere so we could save the label for our journal.
Obtained from the homonymous cru of the estate, the Migliara is the most prestigious, most luxurious, and elegant Syrah from Tenimenti d’Alessandro.
In a Glass
It has a deep ruby color with garnet rim showing the age of the wine.
Aromas
The wine is quite perfumed, with aromas of dark fruit, spices, and herbs. We sensed blueberries, plum, jammy red cherry, vanilla, thyme, and dusty earth notes.
Flavors
Still fruit-forward profile of plum, black cherry, blackberry balanced by notes of leather, cured meats. The finish is long with an aftertaste of dark chocolate and a touch of tobacco.
Conclusion
This was the first wine from Cortona DOC we tasted, and we were blown away by the quality of these Syrah. Solid acidity and tannins are well incorporated and add structure and dimension that are rare.
2008 Migliara Syrah is a delight now and for years to come. We’ll try to get a few more bottles for our cellar if we can find them.