Petite Sirah

Petite Syrah or Petite Sirah?  Same grape and one that can really age well.  At age 26, this is drinking quite well.  Purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, spice and dust.  With air, a bit of gravel.  On the palate, this is full bodied.   Boysenberry fruit, dried fruit and slight dry earth.  Slight depth and complexity.  Tannins all resolved.  Good acidity.  Moderate finish.  This probably is a bit past prime but certainly should continue to provide good drinking for five to ten more years as it slides downhill.  It really needs food.  Burgers or steaks would be great.  

This is the "second label" of star winemaker Helen Keplinger's home winery.  It is made from 31% Sonoma Grapes and 69% Sierra Foothills Grapes.  A blend of 55% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah, and 5% Petite Sirah.  A delicious wine.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, spice, gravel and slight plums and earth.  On the palate, this is full bodied but very lively with lots of energy.  Black raspberries dominate at the moment but the black cherries are also present.  There is also a layer of gravel and scorched earth that is a lovely counte

Ulises Valvez was one of the great American success stories in the wine world.  An immigrant to this country, he built his vineyard and winery into a top notch winery.  Sadly, he passed away a couple of years ago at far too young of an age.  His winery carries on.  This is a Zinfandel blend that also has 17% Peite Sirah and 5% Grenache.  The vineyard was originally planted in 1888 and hand farmed by Ulises Valdez since 1988.  There are some very old vines.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of spice and bramble.  Nice texture.  Juicy acidity.  There is s

This is a nice tale on Petite Sirah made from Howell Mountain grapes.  It is quite intense and will need some cellar time to reach full potential.  Inky purple in color.  Opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but has boysenberries, slight pencil lead and slight gravel notes.  On the palate, firm tannins.  Boysenberry fruit.  Very tightly packed.  Persistent finish.  It is quite tasty but clearly will have more to offer in five to ten years.  It should be best in seven to fifteen or so years.  This will drink better with food such as roasts, stews and casseroles.  If drinking soon, give it a

Palisades is one of the better Petite Sirah vineyards (albeit there are not that many).  This was my first time trying a wine from Mending Wall.  Their facility is where Thomas Rivers Brown makes much of his wine these days.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, clay, gravel and slight char.  On the palate, this is delicious already.  Medium tannins.  Reserved black raspberry fruit with a soft texture.  Surprisingly accessible at this young age.  It should still improve over the next five to seven years and be good for another ten after that.  This will work great with Indian

This is the first year that this wine was made.  It is a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah.  At age 20, this seems to be at peak.  It is drinking great with no signs of being over the hill.  Deep ruby in color, purple at the rim (a nice sign of youth).  The nose is all about boysenberries along with hints of black pepper and some charred wood.  On the palate, this is slightly soft with no tannins left.  It is almost seamless.  Deep and complex.  Boysenberry fruit over a bed of char and dry earth.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This will go with a wide range of medium and heavier fo

This is a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Petite Sirah.  At age ten this is just starting to come into its own.  We drank this side by side with a 1999 which was illustrative.  Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose is big with black raspberries, char and minerals.  A wonderful, full bodied texture.  Black raspberry fruit over a char/mineral/earthy base.  Tight layering with moderate tannins.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This does have some upside as it mature and comes together.  If opening now, give it a few hours in a decanter.  This drinks great on its own and will work well wit

Bonterra wines are made from organically farmed grapes.  This is a blend of mostly Merlot and Petite Sirah.  It is a different take, a bit lighter and easier, but a delicious and well priced wine.  Deep ruby in color, lighter at the rim, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries and cranberries with a bit of char.  On the palate, this has raspberries and candied cherries with an underlying char.  Some complexity.  This is clean and easy drinking.  It is not likely to get any better but should be good over the next three to five years.  It drinks well on its own and will work with f

This is the home winery from longtime Beringer winemaker, Ed Sbragia.  This is an accessible Merlot that is drinking well right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, slight tobacco and slight chocolate.  On the palate, there is not a lot of depth but the cherries are strong.  A bit of a char underneath.  Some tobacco on the finish.  It seems like it should probably be drunk in the next few years.  It will work well with burgers or pasta and has enough flavor to drink on its own.  It has 95% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah.  

From the producers of Sine Qua Non, this is the 7th edition of this wine.  The label says 15.8% but there is no hint of heat.  This vintage is a blend of 45% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 15% Petite Sirah, 5% Mourvèdre, 4.5% Touriga Nacional and 1.5% Roussanne.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, red licorice, black pepper, baking spices with a bit of leather/earth.  On the palate, this is rich.  Almost seamless.  It took quite a while to really open up suggesting that this wine still needs about five years depending on your tastes.  Delicious with flavors of black raspberries an