The 2019 Monreale Syrah La Monaca offers lots of natural concentration with blackberry preserves, spice and baking chocolate. There is a lot of power here, including a 15% alcohol content, that evokes both Syrah and Sicily. When married, these two become a force to be reckoned with. The wine finishes with soft tannins and full-bodied concentration. Some 17,000 bottles were made.

Showing dark plum, ripe fruit, charred meat and scorched earth, the Tenuta Sallier de la Tour 2018 Monreale Syrah La Monaca is a perfect match of grape and territory. Syrah loves a hot climate, and Sicily loves Syrah. This is a robust and powerful expression of the grape that has absorbed much of the Sicilian sun, yet it remains elegantly mid-weight and contained throughout. This would be great with some grilled lamb sausage.