2004 Tua Rita Syrah Toscana

In 2001 Tua Rita released its first Syrah. Production is tiny, averaging roughly 250 cases, but Frascolla and Chioccioli are clearly on to something. Their Syrah could very well establish itself as the estate's new flagship wine. The stunning 2004 Syrah saw 20 months in 200% new oak and was made from tiny yields of just 35 quintals per hectare. A deep, richly colored ruby/violet it opens with a sweet ripe nose that is followed by layers of vibrant dark fruit, toasted oak and black pepper that gradually open on an expansive silky-textured frame of notable length and finesse, closing with a lovely sense of freshness on the finish. More linear than the 2003, it initially comes across as the more understated of the two wines, but with time in the glass it emerges as a wine of greater potential. I would prefer to enjoy it in its exuberant youth. It is a superb effort from Tua Rita and oenologist Stefano Chioccioli. (AG)