Welcome to the fifth in our Wine 103 series, where we continue to explore single varietals that you may see in the store or restaurant. If you haven’t been through Wine 101 or Wine 102 yet, have no fear, you can pick up from the links. If you have a moment, go back and check them out! Starting off this week, we’ll be talking about Petite Sirah!
Petite Sirah
Petite Sirah is anything but small. In fact, Petite Sirah actually makes deep, dark, blockbuster reds with full bodies and concentrated dark fruit. In addition to all the fruit, it comes loaded with black pepper, spices, and enough tannins to knock over a barbecue joint. Thanks to all that structure, it means that Petite Sirah is a great addition to help structure many red blends.
Quick Facts on Petite Sirah
Color: Red
Style: Dry
Body: Full
General Characteristics: Tannic, Black Pepper, Spice, Blackberry
Notable Regions: California
Shannon Ridge High Elevation Petite Sirah 2013
Shannon Ridge High Elevation Petite Sirah has all the right the right marketing terms in description, and has been aged in both French and American oak for 9 months. Is it a great example of what Petite Sirah can be?
Sight: Deep inky purple, with a hot magenta edge
Smell: Blackberries and cherry come out, with a condensed, spicy nature. There’s a jamminess that comes into play, and gives an even deeper nature to the nose, invoking boysenberry, plum, and vanilla. Touches of red fruit come into play as well.
Sip: A hint of sweetness comes right out, and then in quickly overwhelmed by the tannic nature of the wine. The body is full and lush, and the tannins more moderate in their coarseness. Huge bombs of plum, blackberry, and boysenberry all come into play with hints of vanilla and cedar. There are notes of dark chocolate and black pepper.
Savor: The ending is fiercely tannic, but contains great notes of blackberry, boysenberry, and cedar. The finish is long, and deep, growing with more spices and cedar notes.
Shannon Ridge High Elevation Petite Sirah is a deeply complex of what Petite Sirah is capable of, even at a more budget conscious price. The wine plays true to the varietal, with deeply tannic structure and huge concentrated fruit flavors. This character makes it a great choice for steak, grilled meats, or any rich braised meaty dishes. Shannon Ridge High Elevation Petite Sirah is a huge value, and a must try for any full bodied red lover.
Verdict: Spicy, Tannic, Boysenberry, Blackberry, Vanilla, Cedar
Rating: 90
Price: $12
Lake County, California
Available At:
