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CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH BLIND TASTING
France's
Outlawed Grape
Not
very well known and often misunderstood, the Petite
Sirah varietal has its roots in France from where it is
banished by law, with the exception of a few older grandfathered
vineyards. Today, about 7,000 acres are planted around the
world, with 80 percent in California alone. “It is now
considered an American Heritage Varietal,” said Jo Diaz,
Director of the Petite Sirah advocacy organization Petite
Sirah, I Love You.
It
has been determined that this varietal has better potential
for aging than any other varietal in California. Following
are the results of our blind tasting of ten Petite Sirah wines.
Our panel of expert and devoted judges worked hard to extract
the scents and flavors out of mysterious bottles of the tannic
varietal.
First
Place
Vina
Robles |
Second Place
Michael
Chiarello |
Third Place
Silkwood |
Wines
listed in order of placement:
1.
Vina Robles - 2002 Jardine - Paso Robles,
$26
2. Michael Chiarello - 2000 Roux Old Vine
- Napa Valley, $48
3. Silkwood - 2002 - Stanislaus County, $36
4. Judd - 2001 Cranston Vineyard - Lodi,
$26
5. David Bruce - 2002 Shell Creek Vineyard
- Paso Robles, $16
6. Lolonis - 2002 Orpheus - Redwood Valley,
$40
7. Foppiano
- 2002 Estate - Russian River, $17.50
8. Concannon - 2000 Heritage - Livermore,
$40
9. Trentadue - 2002 - Alexander Valley, $28
10. Shannon Ridge - 2002 - Lake County, $27
Notes:
The major mistake in tasting these wines now is the fact that
they should be much older. Start drinking your Petite Sirah
bottles ten years after bottling; they will taste better.
All wines were from central and northern California wine regions,
and they all fit within a concise range of appreciation rating.
An average price of a Petite Sirah bottle is more than what
a beginner would want to spend. Here the best value we thought
was the Foppiano ($17.50); on the market you can try the Bogle
($10), which is a perfect specimen. We were pleasantly surprised
by Silkwood despite its gaudy felt label. (Date tasted: 08/06/05)
Other
Petite Sirah
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