The 2008 Scrio (Syrah) wraps around the palate with layers of rich, dark fruit. This is a decidedly cool Scrio that stands apart from some of the more bombastic wines of recent vintages. Dark cherries, plums, espresso and sweet herbs are some of the aromas and flavors that emerge over time, but it is the integration of the French oak this year that truly elevates the wine to another level. Not surprisingly, in 2008 Scrio was aged exclusively in 1 year-old barrels, with no new oak, which makes a huge difference. This is understated and flat-out great. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. These may very well be the finest wines I have ever tasted from Le Macchiole. There is no question these are the best wines the estate has ever produced relative to the overall quality and potential of the vintage. Over the years this cutting edge estate has been at the forefront of many developments in Maremma and Italy including working with low yields, densely planted vineyards and using small 112 liter barrels for the flagship Merlot, Messorio. Proprietor Cinzia Merli and long-time oenologist Luca d’Attoma have continued to search for ways to improve. These 2008s show the direction of the future. New oak levels are down, the quality of coopers is up and the estate is moving towards larger 500-liter barrels on some of the wines. Le Macchiole has always produced stunning fruit. Now that much of the makeup is beginning to come off the wines it is obvious the estate’s potential is limitless. Nowhere is a return to a more classic style in Italy more evident than at Le Macchiole. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

The 2008 Scrio (Syrah) wraps around the palate with layers of rich, dark fruit. This is a decidedly cool Scrio that stands apart from some of the more bombastic wines of recent vintages. Dark cherries, plums, espresso and sweet herbs are some of the aromas and flavors that emerge over time, but it is the integration of the French oak this year that truly elevates the wine to another level. Not surprisingly, in 2008 Scrio was aged exclusively in 1 year-old barrels, with no new oak, which makes a huge difference. This is understated and simply great.