A vertical tasting that recounts the evolution of one of Cortona’s iconic Syrahs. Fabrizio Dionisio ‘s Castagno is retraced through the most representative vintages, highlighting stylistic coherence, ability to read the vintages and a production vision matured over time.
A clear November day greeted us at Ossaia, below Cortona, for a vertical tasting of the winery’sIlCastagno Syrah Fabrizio Dionisio.
Since the late 1990s Fabrizio Dionisio has built one of the reference reality of the Cortona area, distinguishing itself by a remarkable consistency of quality throughout the range. It is one of the three wineries that have made a decisive contribution to defining Cortona as a territory with a vocation for Syrah, following in the footsteps traced by the Fratelli D’Alessandro, true pioneers of this grape variety in the area.
Vineyards and production style
The winery now covers about 15 hectares under vines divided into two rather different areas: San Lorenzo (Poggio al Sole locality) and Chestnut (Ossaia locality). The first vintages of Il Castagno, the star of this vertical tasting and the winery’s flagship wine, came exclusively from the vineyard of the same name; today, however, the wine comes from a blend of the best grapes selected from both areas.
Vinification has remained essentially unchanged over time: fermentation in steel with macerations around two weeks. More articulated is the evolution of the relationship with wood, influenced both by climatic changes and by a natural stylistic maturation of Fabrizio Dionisio. If the first 1,500 bottles in 2003 matured entirely in barrique, the current production-which has reached about 15,000 bottles-involves a calibrated use of different containers: barriques, tonneaux, barrels of about 20 hectoliters and cement, to best enhance the characteristics of each vintage.
People
Out of the twenty or so vintages produced, ten were selected for this tasting, offering an extremely convincing picture and challenging even the most deeply rooted prejudices about the use of barrels. After all, the technical staff that has supported the winery has always been of the highest caliber.
Fabrizio Dionisio’s project began with two big names in Italian oenology, Attilio Pagli e Federico Curtaz, and the results came immediately, despite the young age of the vineyards. Today the consultancy is entrusted to equally good professionals: the young Valentino Ciarla in the cellar and the duo Grassi-Dini in the vineyard, with results of great precision.
However, Fabrizio’s presence remains central in defining the stylistic course of the wines: a sunny Syrah, but always supported by a vibrant savoriness that, in cooler vintages, translates into an understated austerity. A recognizable common thread, almost a genius loci ancestral, which Dionisio managed to interpret thanks to sensitivity, experience and what he himself likes to call his oenological “fears.”
The Best Vintages of Cortona Syrah Il Castagno
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2003
Score: 93/100
Average price: not for sale, trade between individuals.
100% Syrah. 24 months in barrique. First vintage produced, young vineyards and a vintage that is anything but easy, conditions that would make anyone shake in their boots. Yet the wine surprises with vitality and balance. The olfactory profile is still warm and fruity, with very few evolutionary hints. In the mouth it is slender, flavorful, very composed and elegant; the finish, of good texture, closes on a pleasant memory of licorice.
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2005
Score: 95/100
Average price: not for sale, trade between individuals.
100% Syrah. 24 months in barrique A cooler vintage than the previous one and a wine of great impact even after nearly two decades. The nose is crisp and intense, with floral and fruity hints and a subtle spiciness. The texture is medium-bodied, smooth and elegant, with an appealing savory progression that accompanies toward a lingering, intense finish.
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2012
Score: 96/100
Average price: not for sale, trade between individuals.
100% Syrah. 24 months in tonneau and barrique. A great estate vintage, striking in the precision of its red fruit, enriched by notes of blood orange, blackberry and balsamic whiffs. The palate is relaxed and savory, with classy tannins and an elegant, juicy progression. Very long finish, played on impeccable balances.
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2016
Score: 96/100
Average price: € 32,00
100% Syrah. 24 months in tonneau and barrique. Happy vintage, and it shows. The color is deep ruby. The nose is complex and austere, with light and dark spices, dark citrus and cherry. In the mouth it shows great class: refined tannins, well-integrated sapidity and a broad but always elegant progression. The finish, consistent with the nose, remains agile and dynamic.
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2019
Score: 95/100
Average price: € 32,00
100% Syrah. 24 months in tonneau, 20 hl barrels and cement. Bright ruby. Intriguing aromas of red and black fruit, light smoky notes and hints of spice. The mouth is elegant and juicy, with refined tannins and a relaxed, persuasive and fresh progression. The finish is very persistent, never muscular.
Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2022
Score: 95/100
Average price: € 32,00
100% Syrah. 24 months in tonneau, 20 hl barrels and cement. Intense ruby. Beautiful notes of red fruit and light spices stand out on the nose, with a sunny character. The texture is dense, elegant and flavorful; the progression is juicy, with polished tannins and a broad, lingering finish.
