This Syrah comes from grapes matures "at the peak" of the de' Canonici vineyard. Apice is the most serious, structured and age-worthy expression of Syrah in the Amerighi cellar. It comes from the highest and most limestone-driven portion of De’ Canonici, where slightly cooler conditions and poorer soils give the wine greater tension, definition and mineral drive. Aged for two and a a half years in bottle, Stefano only produces this in exceptional vintages; he feels that this bottling represents the apogee of his work in the vineyard. 

Our Take
This has deep ruby-purple, with a pronounced nose of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and plum layered with violets, black pepper, smoked meat, olive tapenade, leather, graphite and wild Mediterranean herbs. There is plenty of ripe Tuscan fruit, but the wine’s savory character, peppery spice and mineral backbone pull it convincingly toward the Northern Rhône. The palate is medium-plus to full-bodied, tightly layered and still very youthful. Fine but substantial tannins frame the dark fruit, while fresh acidity brings energy and keeps the wine from feeling heavy. Notes of black olive, crushed stone, balsamic herbs and pepper build through the long, compact finish.

This is very much Tuscany meets the Northern Rhône, but it does not feel like an imitation of Côte-Rôtie or Cornas. The fruit has Tuscan warmth and generosity, while the savory aromatics, acidity and tannic architecture remain distinctly Syrah. It is compelling now after a long decant, but there is more complexity waiting to emerge. For the best experience, I would give it another two to four years in the cellar and then follow it over the next decade or more.

• 100% Syrah
• Demeter-certified biodynamic farming.
• Vineyard: The highest, most limestone-rich portion of the De’ Canonici vineyard
• Soils: Sedimentary clay, silt and limestone, with a greater calcareous component toward the vineyard’s summit
• Selection: Produced only in vintages Amerighi considers exceptional
• Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in small concrete vats. Approximately 18–35 days on the skins. Grapes are handled manually, partially destemmed, traditional foot crushing, with no selected yeasts, temperature control or chemical corrections
• Élevage: Approximately 24 months—roughly 80% in concrete and 20% in tonneaux
• Bottle aging: Approximately two and a half additional years before release
• Production: Approximately 2,100 bottles