Tua Rita Per Sempre 2023

Bright ruby red colour, shiny. Earthy aroma on the nose with hints of orange cordial, black tea, some marzipan, oak, reminiscent of dried rose petals. Compact, tight-knit and powerful on the palate, with earthy, powerful tannins and a lovely juiciness.

The 2023 Syrah Per Sempre is from a single vineyard with limestone and clay soils and sees a more classic élevage with large 50-hectoliter casks, aged for 15-17 months in 80% new barrique. In the glass, it pours a saturated ruby/purple tone with a bright magenta rim. The nose has more oak spice and a polished, luxurious feel, with cedar, clove, plum, olive, and baking spice. Full-bodied, it has more intensity and a lot to offer all around, with more structure, but it’s going to require some patience to come together. Drink 2027-2040.

Subtle aromas of crushed stones, blackberries, blueberries and flint follow through to a medium body with ultra-fine tannins and a refined finish. Hints of sandalwood and nutmeg with a citrus undertone. Elegant and pretty. Shows a precise and soft hand in the vineyard and winemaking. Sustainable. Drinkable already, but will age beautifully. Drink or hold.

It's always a pleasure to taste this wine, sourced from just 18 rows of Syrah. Amarena cherries, cocoa, prunes and herbs mingle with lifted floral fragrance. A concentration of black and blue berries cradled by very fine, silky tannins ends with a flourish of cocoa, bitter herbs and violet.

Spicy, sweet and full of dark fruit, the Tua Rita 2023 Syrah Per Sempre is a strikingly expressive wine. Syrah can risk allowing structure to overwhelm varietal character, but as proprietor Stefano Frascolla notes, that is emphatically not the case here, making 2023 a particularly successful vintage in this regard. The wine is lively and vibrant on the palate with bright acidity. Winemaking favors an infusion-style approach with whole berries and more skins, increasing volume during maceration to build body without heaviness. The wine grows in dimension rather than fruit weight. Sweetly spiced on the close and beautifully poised, this Syrah feels different from earlier expressions yet is deeply convincing.

The 2023 Syrah Per Sempre is a very promising wine. Silky, aromatic and light on its feet, the 2023 is so refined. Black cherry, dried herbs, mint, wild flowers and cinnamon meld together seamlessly. All the elements are so deftly integrated.