Well if it ain’t Wednesday, which can only mean two things (at most):
Tomorrow is Thursday
We’re back to ramble angrily about yet another humble grape variety
Petite Sirah is a grape that can produce some incredible wines, but being as how the most prolific source of varietal Petite Sirah is the great (and costly) wine state of California, the price tag for un-manipulated goodness tends to be a bit higher.
If you have the spare change, you’ll find these bottles (*usually*) really start to shine in the $30+ range, but if you look hard enough, and you keep an open heart (AND MOUTH), then you might just stumble across some budget gems out there that really wow you.
This week we grabbed a smattering of readily available bottles ranging from under $10 to over $50, and let us tell you — some of them were absolutely incredible.
If you’re foaming at the mouth and want to get shopping now, go ahead and click the shiny red button. Want to hear us rant a little about the edumacational stuff? Stick around for these next few sections. Cheers!
Petite Sirah: The Grape
The humble Petite Sirah grape (sometimes called “Durif”) is a variety that has found a “unique” home in California's vineyards (LIKE ME!)
Despite its name, there is nothing "petite" about this robust, dark, full-bodied, and angry wine. Originating from a cross between the Syrah and Peloursin grapes in the late 19th century, Petite Sirah has carved out a “niche” for itself in the “Golden State,” producing wines that are bold, intense, and age-worthy (LIKE TODAY’S YOUTH).
Petite Sirah is known for its deep, inky purple color, and concentrated flavors of dark fruits like blackberry, blueberry and plum. The wines often exhibit notes of black pepper, chocolate, and smoky undertones. One of the defining characteristics of Petite Sirah is its firm tannin structure, which provides a backbone for the wine and contributes to its aging potential.
California's Love Affair with Petite Sirah
While Petite Sirah has struggled to gain a foothold in other wine regions, it has found a “welcoming home” in California's warm and sunny climate. The grape thrives in areas like Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Lodi and the Central Coast, where the long growing season allows it to fully ripen and develop its intense flavors and robust tannins.
Many California winemakers have embraced Petite Sirah as a varietal wine, showcasing its unique character and complexity.
California's Petite “Terroirs”
California provides an ideal environment for the Petite Sirah grape to thrive, with several distinct regions producing unique expressions of this bold varietal.
Napa Valley
The warm, sunny climate of Napa Valley allows Petite Sirah to fully ripen and develop intense flavors and robust tannins. Napa Petite Sirahs are known for their deep, inky color and concentrated flavors of blueberry, cocoa, and crushed black pepper, with a firm tannic backbone. Wineries like Stags' Leap craft exceptional examples from old vine vineyards like the historic Palisades Vineyard.
Sonoma County
The slightly cooler climate of Sonoma, especially in the coastal areas, lends Petite Sirah wines an earthier, more savory character. They typically present with aromas and flavors of fresh blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, and hints of menthol or lavender, with dense tannins and flavors of berries, espresso, and mocha.
Lodi and Central Valley
These inland valley regions are home to many old, head-trained (LIKE ME!) Petite Sirah vines that produce robust, jammy wines bursting with blackberry, “bramble”, and black pepper aromas. The warm climate yields rich, bold tannins complementing the sweet berry flavors and smooth acidity.
Central Coast
The diverse terroirs of the Central Coast, from Monterey to Paso Robles, offer ideal conditions for Petite Sirah. Coastal influences provide “freshness” and structure, while inland areas lend power and concentration. Expect a range of styles, from savory and earthy to opulent and fruit-forward.
INDEED - California's varied microclimates and soils allow Petite Sirah to express its many facets, from bold and brooding to elegant and age-worthy, making it a wonderful “little” grape to explore across the Golden state's diverse regions.
Profile: Blackberry, black cherry, cedar (slight oak chip taste?), black pepper, mocha
Palate: Dry, full body, medium+ tannin, medium+ acid, medium finish
This is an OK wine for the price with good concentration of dark fruit, some spice and mocha. I think a lot of people will like this, but I get just a hint of that faux oak flavor suggestive of light recipe winemaking with the use of oak chips or staves. The good news is that this is still a dry wine and tastes more like “real wine” than most California red wines in this price range.
Profile: Blueberry jam, blackberry, raspberry, black cherry, violets, lavender, black pepper, chocolate, vanilla
Palate: Dry, high tannin, medium+ acid, full body, long finish
Great value Petite Sirah from the “hot region” of Paso Robles. This has a somewhat jammy black and blue fruit profile (but real jam, not the artificially flavored kind) with floral and spice notes, adding additional complexity to the mix. Very impressive wine for the price point!
Palate: Dry, medium+ tannin, high acid, full body, medium finish
From the San Antonio Valley (Monterey) this wine showed ripe fruit and solid structure, with clear improvement after allowing it to open up for several hours. Has some layers to it and doesn’t taste manufactured like some of the $10-15 bottles we tasted. Worth a try if you enjoy really ripe, fruity wines.
Profile: Ripe plum, raspberry, cherry, tobacco, leather, spice, red licorice, crayon, mocha, vanilla, wet stone
Palate: Dry, medium+ tannin, high acid, full body, long finish
Initially a little closed off, but there was incredible improvement after decanting. Lots of layers and a super long finish. Give it at least an hour and you’ll find it’s a whole ‘nother beast.
Palate: Dry, high tannin, high acid, full body, long finish
Deep inky purple, some wild yeast aromas that dissipate as it opens up, dark chocolate compliments ripe dark fruit on the palate. Layered and delicious with a super long finish.
92+ points
2016 St. Francis Petite Sirah Wild Oak Vineyard, Sonoma Valley / 94 points / $50
Profile: Blackberry, blueberry preserves, black cherry, prune, violets, petrichor, cedar, leather, earth, tobacco, black pepper, dark chocolate
Palate: Dry, high tannin, medium+ acid, full body, long finish
Dark inky wine with a black core (LIKE MY SOUL), ripe dark fruits, great tannic structure and some tertiary notes from 8 years of bottle age. This wine should continue to improve with additional time in the bottle. If you can find it and you’re feeling like treating yourself, absolutely grab a bottle.
WELL DONE ST. FRANCIS!
94 points
The “Skip It” List
• 2021 Cloud Break Petite Sirah / 83 Points / $10
Off dry, manipulated, and weak structure. Mixed berry compote and vanilla, with some slightly spoiled fruit flavors. If you like cheap, manufactured California reds, this might be your play. Really not unexpected given that it’s $10, but I wouldn’t drink this even if handed a free glass.
•2021 Kaleidoscope Petite Sirah / 81 Points / $14
Off dry with a very manipulated flavor profile and utterly devoid of structure. Tasted like a mixed berry Gogurt. Outright bad. No tannins, nasty aftertaste. Hard pass.
Well there you have it, our thoughts on the wines of the week.
Two widely available bottles we didn’t include in this week’s list that we’ve reviewed in the past are the 2019 Stags Leap Petite ($32, reviewed here) and the 2020 Michael David Petite Petit ($15, reviewed here).
If you are not well versed in Petite Sirah, go out and educate yourself by grabbing a few bottles and consuming them! As we mentioned at the top, with varietal Petite Sirah from California, you’ll find consistently awesome bottles starting around the $30+ mark.
It can be hard to find anything worth its salt under $20, but there are absolutely gems to be found, so if you have any recommendations that we missed today, please let us know — we love a bargain!
Until next time, HAPPY DRINKING PEOPLE.
Cheers!
Isaac & Zach
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Amazing, I wish more winos featured this grape for often!
Petite Sirah was my gateway wine - long before I had a taste for it, I worked at a restaurant with a 200 bottle wine list and one 3-day weekend they had us all come in and taste nearly the whole list (the Opus One was NOT offered to us :P) with a sommelier walking us through each. I couldn't taste anything but alcohol and sour grape juice until I hit a single one - a David Bruce Petite Sirah. I can't say I loved it, but it was the only one that made me think "huh, I can see myself liking this if I tried."
Many years later, when I decided to "try", I went to Trader Joe's and exclusively scoped out Petite Sirah's until boredom and curiosity finally impelled me to try others. So it will forever hold a place in my heart.
P.S. Many Trader Joe's Petite Sirah's drink in line (hardy har) with the Line Shack example in this post, but cheaper at $4.99 - $9.99 per bottle. And for a Petite that will blow anyone's mind but can be drunk young, Jaffur's in Santa Barbara has one of the absolute best, $42 per bottle.
Amazing, I wish more winos featured this grape for often!
Petite Sirah was my gateway wine - long before I had a taste for it, I worked at a restaurant with a 200 bottle wine list and one 3-day weekend they had us all come in and taste nearly the whole list (the Opus One was NOT offered to us :P) with a sommelier walking us through each. I couldn't taste anything but alcohol and sour grape juice until I hit a single one - a David Bruce Petite Sirah. I can't say I loved it, but it was the only one that made me think "huh, I can see myself liking this if I tried."
Many years later, when I decided to "try", I went to Trader Joe's and exclusively scoped out Petite Sirah's until boredom and curiosity finally impelled me to try others. So it will forever hold a place in my heart.
P.S. Many Trader Joe's Petite Sirah's drink in line (hardy har) with the Line Shack example in this post, but cheaper at $4.99 - $9.99 per bottle. And for a Petite that will blow anyone's mind but can be drunk young, Jaffur's in Santa Barbara has one of the absolute best, $42 per bottle.