Petite Sirah – Confusing? Definitely! Also… Exceptional
Petite Sirah has more problems than Anna Delvey, the imprisoned scam artist profiled in the series "Inventing Anna". But this grape is more artist than scam. Sure, go ahead and point out that it's not at all petite, it's only partially Syrah and it also goes by the name Durif. That's a confusing portmanteau for any grape, but by any name it's a grape worth knowing. Invented (accidentally or otherwise) in the 1860s by French botanist François Durif, it came about from crossing Syrah pollen with Peloursin flowers. It reached California in the 1880s and seems to have quickly become a staple in field blends, perhaps valued for its almost pitch black color and sturdy tannins.
As a standalone variety it has a (mostly) deserved reputation as being inky, tannic and rough – sort of a biker's Zinfandel. The two varieties have both found special favor in California, and both are featured treasures among numerous old vine sites (some dating back a century or longer) scattered from Yolo County on down to Santa Barbara. Without question these are vines that seem to improve in quality as the decades pile on.
The back label of Robert Biale's Royal Punishers Petite Sirah goes so far as to note that Petite Sirah "was once the dominant grape in Napa Valley," concluding that "this black and blue wine reminds us why many Napa winemakers revere this rare and noble grape."
Rare and noble it may be, but it's had its ups and downs. In its birth country of France it's a complete outsider, and even in California it was on the verge of disappearing just two or three decades ago. But it's having a renaissance, and numbers are climbing, making it the fifth or sixth most planted red variety in California as of 2020.
I had not tasted much Petite Sirah in recent years, and so it was with both anticipation and a certain amount of trepidation that I asked for submissions (with the help of my friend Jo Diaz and members of PS I Love You).
Quite honestly, I didn't know what to expect. I'm not generally smitten with huge, tannic, high alcohol wines. And much to my surprise, that is not what I found. Tasting roughly two dozen examples, including a few from the Pacific Northwest, it was certainly possible to find the rough riders in the crowd. And they have their place, especially next to a platter of ribs right off the smoker, maybe with a side of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. These old school Petites can take the heat.
But it's clear that as with many other high profile red varieties there's a shift among growers and winemakers toward more elegant and aromatic styles. Lower the alcohol, tame the tannins, cut back on the new oak and maybe add a little French to the standard American barrels and voila! – a 21st century red has been hiding in there all along.
I tasted these wines in limited flights of four new bottles daily, to minimize tannin buildup. I started each day by revisiting wines from previous tastings. As often as not they were as good or better after being open for 24 hours. I kept them in the mix for as many days as they held on without fading, and some went as far as four days before losing freshness. This technique goes a long way to evaluating overall structure and ageability, which is quite difficult to do in a quick tasting of such powerful young wines.
I've selected three for my wines of the week (see above) and posted notes on the best of the rest (see below). My personal preferences favor aromatic, balanced styles with length and finesse, albeit Petite Sirah is virtually always a wine with serious cajones. I've noted the range of styles in the tasting notes, and the listed abv also provides a hint as to the overall potency of the bottled wine.
On balance I absolutely loved these wines, and I hope you will take the opportunity to explore them. I'm pretty sure you will find them as I did to be distinctive, attractive and most appealing accompaniments to hearty meals year round.
Recently Tasted
Please note that the listed prices are full suggested retail and lower offers may exist.
Berryessa Gap 2018 Petite Sirah
740 cases; 14.5% abv; $38
Petite Sirahs come in a wide variety of styles, and many are blends. Here we have a field blend with Primitivo and Peloursin comprising 15% of the total. It was aged in once-used French oak, which seems to allow more nuance than the more common use of new American oak. Blueberry, blackberry, blue plum and soft tannins make this particularly accessible. It leaves a pleasantly buttery trail as it fades.
Berryessa Gap 2019 The Sire Reserve Red Wine
250 cases; 14.2% abv; $52
This dark, smoky and delicious blend is principally Petite Sirah, co-fermented with Syrah, Zinfandel and Peloursin from the estate vineyards. It's a creamy wine with brambly ripe berry fruit. Underscoring the berries is a foundation of stiff phenolic stem and skin flavors, beautifully set like the platinum under a ruby stone. Wow!
Category 5 2018 Corvus Vineyard Petite Sirah
119 cases; 14.8% abv; $48
Washington's Red Mountain is known for dense, tannic red wines, so Petite Sirah would seem to be a perfect fit, though it remains a rarity. This example has a strong coffee flavor, much like some Cabernet Francs, along with tight berry and cassis fruit. It could pass for a Red Mountain Cabernet in a blind tasting.
Le Casque 2018 Petite Sirah
289 cases; 14.8% abv; $32
It's interesting how varied are the approaches to barrel aging of Petite Sirahs. Percentages of new vs. neutral and American vs. French oak have a major impact on the ultimate finished wine. Le Casque has chosen to use 18% new American and 9% new French, the balance all neutral French oak and it's a pitch-perfect match to the luxurious blackberry fruit. The potent tannins keep the wine from becoming too jammy despite the ripeness, bringing it to a lingering silky smooth fade.
Portalupi 2019 L. Venturi Vineyards Petite Sirah
595 cases; 14.6% abv; $42
As is typical of the grape, this is an inky, tongue-staining wine with smooth but dense and astringent tannins. It's buoyed by the lush blackberry, loganberry and cassis fruit that shines on through the thick and chewy tannins. Aged 16 months in 40% new American oak, this stands as a classic, benchmark version of this unique California style.
Ridge 2018 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah
13.8% abv; $45
Rich and concentrated flavors of blackberry, cassis, toasted walnuts and more coalesce in an instantly-appealing wine. It's robust, full-flavored, tannic to be sure, and poised to complement your next barbecue. Notes of espresso, dark chocolate, char and smoke contribute to the overall complexity.
Robert Biale 2019 Royal Punishers Petite Sirah
14.8% abv; $49
This is an unbeatably delicious wine, loaded with dense red and blue and black berry flavors balanced against silky (yes silky!) tannins. It's broad, toasty, loaded with coffee grounds and crushed berry fruit, and sturdy enough for any grilled meats.
Robert Biale 2019 Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah
14.8% abv; $88
This single vineyard wine amps up the aromatics while preserving the robust tannins and deep berry flavors the signify this grape. It's got a level of precision not always found in Petite Sirahs, limned with citrus rind and phenolic accents.
Theopolis Vineyards 2018 Petite Sirah
85 cases; 14.5% abv; $40
Brilliantly expressive of the floral aromas that define this grape, this powers on with blackberry jam, vanilla and some dusty but well-managed tannins. The flavors linger through a long finish, adding layer upon layer of citrus, espresso and dark chocolate.
Vincent Arroyo 2019 Rattlesnake Acres Petite Sirah
375 cases; 14% abv; $55
This is an estate-bottled Napa Valley wine from a single Calistoga vineyard. Interestingly the Napa sourcing softens and broadens the flavors. The rich mix of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry fruit glides into ripe tannins that have been sanded smooth. Aged in 80% new American oak, it's got the telltale streak of dill and vanilla but remains well-balanced and well-integrated.
