Tag Archives: petite sirah

Oak Ridge Petite Sirah Estate Grown 2019, Lodi, California

17 Wednesday Aug 2022

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Just looking at this wine in the glass I have made some assumptions: 1) low acidity, 2) high tannins, 3) ripe fruit flavors/aromas, 4) full body, 5) high alcohol.  Let’s see.

Deep purple colored with a blue tinge on the edges and marked staining of the glass sides.  Slow moving legs on the wall.  The nose has aromas of ripe blackberry, baked blueberry pie, licorice, vanilla, yeasty baking spice notes and really ripe black plum.  The palate is dry and guess what?  Very tannic. Low acidity with a full body and lush flavors of very ripe black and blue fruit, oak influence by way of vanilla, baking spice and charred wood.  The finish has got a black tea component and is quite astringent but the flavors last a decent amount of time.  I love this varietal, and this is a decently made example that runs $16.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2027 with hearty meat dishes.  BTW the alcohol was 13.5%, my only wrong guess. Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2016, Alexander Valley, California

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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Deep purple colored with very thick, slow moving legs.  Surprising considering it’s only showing 13.5% ABV on the label.  The nose is very perfumed and fruity with blackcurrant, violets, blackberry preserves, coffee bean, vanilla, coconut, purple licorice and cedar shake.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high tannins and a full body.  Pronounced flavors of dark fruit that is a touch preserved along with toasty oak nuance and some floral hints.  The body of this wine just coats my mouth and makes for a gorgeous mouthfeel.  The finish is medium in length and the tannins literally coat my upper gums with fine-grained tingles.  This is a younger, more fruit forward vintage that I am thoroughly enjoying.  I would pair this with very hearty dishes and drink it till 2030.  94 points from me make this $40 bottle a 5 star effort.  Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2015, Alexander Valley, California

19 Sunday Jun 2022

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I love Petite Sirah, it’s one of my go-to varietals and this winery has been pivotal in my conversion to the grape.  They have changed the label but I hope the contents are as good as the 2013/4.  Inky purple in the glass it has very glossy, thick legs showing off the 14% ABV.  The nose has a heavy-handed charred oak whiff right off the bat.  Once that subsided I get very ripe plum, dark black raspberry, coconut, clove,  blueberry pie and vanilla bean.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) tannins, full body and rich, ripe black fruit flavors intertwined with luscious oak nuance.  The charred oak note is prevalent in that department but I do get some vanilla and coconut.  This is a rich wine that has layers of interesting fruit that show off California sunshine.  The finish is medium in length and the really fine-grained yet hefty tannins leave my jaw tingling.  Lovely stuff that gets 93 points from me and for $36 it’s a 5 star effort to pair with big steaks or hearty stews.  I bought several bottles and plan to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Obscura Petite Sirah 2018, California

28 Monday Mar 2022

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The first in a series of wines from an online subscription service that sends a little info note for each bottle- kinda cool.  This Petite Sirah is deep ruby and shows off its 14.8% ABV with some globby legs in the glass.  The nose has aromas of blackberries, black plum, black raspberry, vanilla, blueberry pie and espresso.  The palate is dry with medium (+) tannins, medium (-) acidity, medium (+) body and a decent length finish.  The flavors are medium (+) intensity and closely echo the nose.  I do get slightly more blue fruit, and less baking spice on the mid palate and there is a black tea component on the back end.  It’s a nice wine, but I was hoping for a bit more jamminess to be honest- the card promised it.  I think this $22 effort gets 89 points and should be drunk with hearty meats by 2026.  4 stars.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Petit Sirah 2014, Napa Valley, California

27 Sunday Mar 2022

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Inky dark purple in the glass, this promises to be a big, bold wine with lots of body and flavor.  Perfect to pair with my Sunday Rib Roast.  Ripe blackberry, luscious blueberry compote, plums, coconut, purple licorice and a spice/baking component on the nose.  The palate is rich, tannic, full bodied with medium acidity and bold flavors of blackberry, oak nuance and spice.  The yeasty baking note is still there, albeit feint.  Think blackberry puree with a lashing of black tea.  Grippy with mouth searing tannins, deliciously fruity with a dry finish that lasts a decent length of time.  The tannins however, lurk on my gums for an eternity.  If you like them dry, this wine is for you.  The 14.5% ABV has not even made itself known, well disguised in this nicely balanced wine.  This $55 blockbuster is still in youth.  The tannins need some taming unless you like that level of astringency.  Personally, it’s fine as I am pairing it with a fatty cut of meat.  It gets 93 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2014, Alexander Valley, California

25 Friday Feb 2022

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Moxie is cooking dinner- a beef dish that is heavily influenced by mushrooms.  In case you did not know- umami (found in mushrooms) has a distinct affect on wine.  It makes a red taste more dry and bitter, more acidic, less fruity/sweet.  A perfect pairing for this would be a full bodied, rich, tannic wine with medium acidity and not overly dry- Petite Sirah is the answer.  Here goes.

Deep purple in the glass, this wine is inky.  The nose has pronounced aromas of black cherry, blackberry, macerated black plum, dark chocolate, anise, barnyard (kinda strange for the varietal) and smoke.  The palate is rich and dry.  Medium (+) tannins, full body and medium length finish.  The fruit flavors are delicious.  Black berries, currants, plums and pepper.  The smoke is evident as is the licorice note I got earlier.  It doesn’t quite hold up to the 2013 Petite Sirah I drank last year but it does rate well at 90 points.  For $45 it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2028 with hearty meat dishes, especially those with some well marbled beef.  Salut….

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin Red 2017, Paso Robles, California

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Almost opaque, this dark ruby colored ‘Red Wine’ is a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that rings in at 13.9% ABV.  The nose has rich black plum, blackberry coulis, licorice and vanilla.  The palate is meh…  Tart, dry and lacking depth of fruit.  I do get some blackberry and plum but I’m missing the oak nuance, the licorice and am distracted by the sourness.  The tannins are medium (+) and the wine is mid weight.  The finish is short, TG.  Not impressed by this $18 wine (I paid $10) that gets 84 points from me.  1 star and a major pass. I’m pairing it with leftover Lasagna.  Salut….

Daou Vineyards ‘Pessimist’ Red 2019,Paso Robles, California

30 Saturday Oct 2021

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When shopping for the 21st Virtual Wine Tasting, I selected Durif as the keyword which is basically another name for Petite Sirah- one of my current favorites.  This wine did not disappoint.  Basking in sunny Paso Robles (California), the grapes for this elixir were harvested very ripe which makes a pretty potent 15.2%ABV wine that has rich, jammy fruit flavors.  It looks menacing, nearly fully opaque with a dark shade of purple.  The nose and palate gave the group flavors and aromas of blackberry preserves, black plum, dark chocolate covered raisins, leather, coffee, black pepper, blueberry and black tea (on the finish).  Mid grade tannins and nice, gentle acidity made for a beautiful mouthfeel that was mid weight, leading to a decent length finish.  I did not score it the highest on my scoring sheet but I believe it is worthy of 91 points.  It was a crowd pleasing $17 bottle from DAOU vineyards that gets 5 stars from me.  I would love to pair this wine with some grilled Venison.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Michael David Winery Petite Petit 2018, Lodi, California

16 Thursday Sep 2021

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Moxie and I were at a resort in Texas this past weekend.  Our last night was spent at the flagship restaurant where we dined on their speciality- Chicken Fried Lobster.  Choosing a wine before ordering the main course is always a bit of a challenge but I saw this label and remembered enjoying the 2014 vintage so it was a no-brainer.  Petite Sirah is my current flavor of the day varietal, I love its richness, the jammy black fruits, the medium tannins and the full body.  This bottle did not disappoint.  I took zero notes, reveling in its silky smoothness and full flavor profile.  One thing I will say about the eventual pairing:  it worked beautifully.  The wine really made the crunchy Lobster pop in my mouth.  I cannot explain it, just to say I would do it over again.  At $14 per bottle, this 91 point wine is a steal.  If ever in doubt at a restaurant, any Michael David Winery bottle will get you gratification at a fair price.  5 stars.  Salut….

Cooper and Thief Red Blend 2018, California

29 Sunday Aug 2021

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I could not pass this wine up, aged 3 months in Bourbon Whiskey Barrels… That had my name all over it, but I’m not excited about the 16% ABV, seems over the top.  Let’s try some.

It is bright purple and opaque AF.  I can smell it a mile away, the waft is pretty serious.  Once I get stuck in- the nose is very rich with blackberry, blackcurrants, black plum, alcohol, eucalyptus, caramel, vanilla, minty greeness and some black espresso.  Did I mention alcohol?  I have to blow that stuff out of the glass or else I will get drunk sniffing.

The palate has a sweetness to it right off the bat, but when I did my soon-to-be trademarked dryness test, I confirmed it is a dry wine.  That must be from Bourbon, which is known to have caramel sweetness rather than residual sugar.  I get gobs of rich black fruits that I picked out on the nose, plus really integrated, lithe tannins and medium acidity.  This fruit bomb is very smooth and enticing, buyer beware of the formidable punch which is deftly hidden.  If you like them big, bold and jammy then this one is right up your alley.  I really am enjoying this 91 point blend of 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Other Red Blenders.  It’s not a daily drinker for sure, especially at $30 but it gets 5 stars from me and worth a try if you see it.  Drink till 2026 with some Filets.  Salut….