Jumping out of France, it’s time to cover some highlights of wines I’ve tried from other regions in the last few weeks.  First up is Handcraft Petite Sirah 2013 from California!

Sight:  A deep inky purple in the core, with magenta edges

Smell:  Deep, jammy blackberries mix with fleshy boysenberry and then lean into jammy raspberry and strawberries.  The berry notes are sufficiently complex, and rounded out by a subtly baked nature like a pie.   Hints of chocolate and toast linger in the edges.

Sip:  The body starts smooth, and gets a little warm.  There’s a big jammy character to the wine, and the tannins are present to compliment it.  The body itself packs with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and hints of herbs all grow to exorbitant levels.  There are elements of oaking that come into play, but they build a spice backbone around the overwhelming berries.

Savor:  The ending is short, but there’s a good amount of berries that hang through.  The tannins are on the lighter side, but build over time.

Handcraft Petite Sirah is unbelievably berry laden, to the point it gets compliments from the oak and makes it look small.  The flavors here are deep and concentrated to an astonishing level for the price point.  However, there are some refinement issues with the actual body and finish that leave it a bit rough at moments.  Still, despite this, Handcraft Petite Sirah represents an unbelievable value for the money, and is absolutely worth a try.

Verdict:  Boysenberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Spice
Rating: 90
Price: $10
Manteca, California

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