Syrah is not the first variety you think of when looking for wines from Tuscany or Italy in general. Are they worth seeking out?
Syrah in Tuscany
Despite some legends of Syrah coming from the Middle East during the Renaissance, documented evidence traces Syrah coming to Tuscany back to the late 19th century. In the 60’s, Syrah started to expand in what is now the DOC of Cortona (established in 1999), which now features Syrah as its top grape. Cortona Rosso must be at least 50% Syrah. Moreover, Syrah was officially allowed in Chianti blends in 1996 and is used in blends or as a varietal in Super Tuscan wines. Today it’s about 2% of the plantings in Tuscany.
For the most part, I’ve mainly had Syrah in Tuscan wines as a small percentage of the blend. Perhaps this is my third time trying it as a varietal bottling. Super Tuscans tend to be Cabernet dominated, and I’ve run across more Merlot dominated Tuscans. I’ve even had a Grenache dominated Tuscan red, but it’s far less common than Syrah.
Who makes varietal Syrah in Tuscany? As mentioned before, you can look for wines from the DOC of Cortona. Stefano Amerighi is the only producer I’ve seen at shops in the US. By the way, Cortona is also where the novel/film Under the Tuscan Sun takes place.
Tua Rita Keir, Isole e Olena Collezione Privata and Le Macchiole Scrio are some high-end Tuscan Syrahs I’ve seen but not tasted. However, it’s still not that common to find varietal Syrah from Tuscany.
Here in Chile, I could only find a more humble price range of Tuscan Syrah. However, I think it should be representative of how the grape does in Tuscany. Given the warmer weather, I’m expecting more fruit and violets but less structure and herbal notes than the Northern Rhone. At the same time, it’s still going to have Italian acidity. Let’s taste. 
Tasting Notes
2021 Uggiano Syra Syrah Toscana IGT
I don’t know much about the producer, but they’re located in Chianti. 6 months of aging in French oak barriques. The nose starts off meaty and leathery with bright red fruit in the background and then baking spices. The palate is medium bodied with medium+ acid. Soft tannins. It starts off with tangy red fruit but finishes with more purple fruit. It’s about what I expected from a Tuscan Syrah, but it feels more Tuscan overall except for the meatiness on the nose and darker fruits on the finish. I don’t get much of the peppery or green olive you often find in French Syrah. I could use more intensity on the nose, but otherwise it hits the spot if you’re looking for something to pair with a meaty Italian dish. 89