Le Macchiole Scrio 2020

The nose is sleek and dark, like a well-tailored suit, as the chewy saltiness of black olives waltzes with the tartness of blackberries and blueberries, while fireworks of black pepper burst in the night sky above. The olives and dark fruit keep dancing on the palate, until the song ends with a spicy, bitter chocolate crescendo. Debonair tannins watch you from across the ballroom, while acid simmers on the balcony, inconspicuous but unforgettable.

A beautiful Syrah from Tuscany, the 2020 Scrio shows impeccable elegance with a very long and linear style that transcends the nose and the palate. I love the precision of this wine. The celebrated Rhône grape has found a very happy home along this part of the Tuscan coast. The team at Le Macchiole is especially talented at bringing out varietal nuances of dark fruit, baking chocolate, spice, charred meat, white pepper and pencil shaving.

Plenty of flowers and fresh fruit such as blackberries and raspberries. Hints of cloves and nutmeg. Medium to full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a chewy and crunchy finish. A little tight at the end, suggesting it needs three to four years of bottle age. Drink after 2026.

Clear ruby with a slight purple tinge. Fragrant nose with notes of violets and black cherries, underpinned by subtly spicy components, lots of cardamom. On the palate there is a lot of fresh fruit initially, then opens with grippy, but somewhat large tannins in the core, still quite rough on the finish.