Stefano Amerighi

Is 20 years too few to be considered an icon - especially for a winery focused on a non-indigenous variety? What Stefano Amerighi has achieved with that grape in such a short amount of time is exactly what earns him this status. He is crafting the most exciting Syrah in Italy. Period. Syrah is grown from top to tip of Italy, but Cortona is the only DOC that has hung its hat on it. Tellingly Amerighi is the current president of the denomination’s consortium.

His 14 hectares are Demeter-certified biodynamic. The cellar has no temperature control and fermentations are spontaneous in either cement or stainless steel. He uses a high percentage of whole bunches giving a gentle extraction with very few pump overs. Since his first vintage in 2005, he has slowly transitioned away from ageing in wood – the last year that saw any was 2019. Now he uses lined cement and likes the results he is seeing from ceramic.

As might be expected, SO2 additions are minimal. However, Amerighi believes that abuse of workers is a far greater issue than sulphites. As such, all employees have favourable, long-term contracts.

Amerighi has befriended and been embraced by some of the top names in the Northern Rhône and even set up a distribution company to sell their wines into Italy. Through this connection, he has acquired plantings of Sérine, an ancient Syrah biotype which is bottled separately.

His wines run the gamut of Syrah’s heady expressions – sometimes floral and peppery others wild, meaty and briny. They are gorgeous, pure and fresh with lushness and lively energy.