Al Feu Syrah Terre Siciliane IGP 2022

Syrah, a grape often associated with France’s Rhône Valley, has been having a Sicilian love affair for well over 150 years! Winemaker Michele Castiglione has a similar passion for natural Sicilian wines, inherited from his grandfather Michele Rizzo, who owned 65 ha of vines and spoke only in Sicilian dialect. Although much of the estate was sold off post WWII, an undaunted Michele Castiglione restarted the family tradition mostly from scratch and named his label Al Feu after the Sicilian noun for feudo, meaning manor or small estate. That small estate - only 8 hectares planted with vines - is transitioning to organic certification, and a proud member of Vinnatur, the most hardline association of natural winegrowers. Every label features a pensive woman, reflecting Al Feu’s belief that after the destruction visited upon nature by men without thought for future consequences, only women now can save the world: “We need women to think what’s best for the mankind”. This syrah makes a delicious case for that philosophy: hand harvested from a small vineyard near Trapani which is farmed without pesticides or herbicides, it is destemmed and spontaneously fermented with ambient yeast. It then spends 7 months on the lees in stainless steel vats, with 5% matured in neutral barrique, before bottling without fining or filtration. Its intense color belies a body that is surprisingly lithe for a syrah, with black and sour red cherry flavors, notes of cracked black pepper and baking spice, and a vibrant acidity that makes it perfect for pairing with a vast array of dishes from grilled vegetables to pork chops, meaty fish, and sheep’s milk cheeses. Even more refreshing with a slight chill on it! Organically grown, biodynamically grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.