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96 Points: "Plenty of smoke and berry character with dark tea and sweet tobacco. Full body, silky and fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Seriously classy. Drink now." – James Suckling (August 2017)
93 Points: "The 2013 Syrah Il Bosco is soft, fruity and absolutely delicious. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco, lavender, menthol and sage are front and center. There is so much to like in this alluring, inviting Syrah from D'Alessandro. Il Bosco is not exactly varietally expressive, but it is quite tasty. A greater sense of structure emerges with time in the glass. Drink: 2018-2025" – Antonio Galloni, Vinous (April 2018)
FROM THE IMPORTER
Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro is the pioneering winery for Rhône-style wines in Cortona. The winery began experimenting with 10 acres of Syrah in the late 1980s and discovered that Cortona was ideally suited to Rhône varieties. They followed with an additional 80 acres and are now recognized as the benchmark producer of Syrah and Viognier in Italy.
Cortona sits to the east of Montepulciano in southeastern Tuscany. The mesoclimate of the area is almost identical to that of the Northern Rhône: hot and sunny with cool temperatures at night. The vineyards are planted to Northern Rhône clones of Viognier and Syrah and are farmed organically.
Il Bosco (the forest) is a selection of 100% Syrah from three vineyards planted between 1988 and 1995 at a density of 7000 vines per hectare. The vineyards are situated at 280 to 300
meters above sea level and are hand-harvested. The wine is aged for 36 months, 1/3 in used barriques and 2/3 in large used oak casks.
Tasting Notes
Il Bosco is the winery’s theoretical premier cru with considerably more density and complexity than the entry-level Borgo Syrah. The wine shows clear varietal definition with dark fruit, floral aromas, and peppery spice while also maintaining its Tuscan (specifically Cortona) identity with vivid acidity and muscular tannins.
Food Pairing
Syrah, with its spicy flavors, full body and firm tannins, is a natural match to grilled or smoked meat, and dishes featuring earthy flavors such as herbs, mushrooms, and onions. Pair Syrah with a platter of mixed
roasted meats like pork, rabbit, poultry, and fowl, or a classic bistecca alla fiorentina.
VINEYARD & PRODUCTION INFO WINEMAKING & AGING
Vineyard name: Plots within the Il Bosco, I Cani, Pozzo Vecchio, and Cipressi Vineyards
Vineyard size: 9 acres
Soil composition: Clay
Training method: Cordon
Spur-pruned
Elevation: 924-990 feet
Vines/acre: 3,200
Exposure: Northeastern
Year vineyard planted: 1988
Harvest time: September
First vintage of this wine:
1992
Bottles produced of this wine: 15,000
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