Syrah Toscana IGT Collezione Privata 2019 Isole e Olena

The delightful 2019 Syrah Collezione Privata opens to dark fruit, spice, pepper, crushed stone, blue flower and milky blueberry. The wine handles its oak nicely (with 18 months in barrique, including French oak and a tiny percentage of American oak, and one-third new barrel). It delivers seamless integration, especially in this concentrated vintage, pitting freshness against fruit weight and primary intensity. Its texture is soft and creamy.

A big, powerful syrah with a heady nose of violet essence, dried blueberries, sweet tobacco, mocha, vanilla, cracked pepper and grilled meat. Full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins and a chewy and fleshy palate. Delicious sweet-spice notes. Intense. Drink from 2023.

The 2019 Syrah Collezione Privata is quite delicate and silky in this vintage, with a distinctly red-fruited profile that is unusual. Spice, orange peel, dried flowers and white pepper lend brightness to a Syrah that is both deep and light on its feet. I especially admire the vibrancy here.