A Case for “Petite”

            There is a red that I just love to drink. It is almost always big, chewy and something you don’t worry about aging. No, not Zinfandel, the Petite one – Petite Sirah. Once a mystery grape, it has been genetically mapped to be a descendent of Syrah, where once it was considered to be an entirely different variety.  It turns out that Petite Sirah (also spelled with the y in place of the i – syrah) is a cross of Syrah and Peloursin and is known as Durif. The grape variety doesn’t do all that well in areas of high humidity where it develops grey rot. California has many growing areas that suit the growth of this variety.

            For a long time in California viticulture, the Petite grape was just labeled syrah. There are obvious differences, but no one ever worried about it.  Many were replanted over time, but it seems many may have been a blend of both grapes. Testing from the good people at UC-Davis found many vineyards thought to be Petite Sirah were mostly Durif, some Syrah and even one a type of Pinot Noir.  From the samples Dr. Carole Meredith – who also identified from the DNA the origin of zinfandel – that the Durif was a child of Syrah and therefore, related.

            Can I tell in a blind tasting which is syrah and which is Petite Sirah? I’m doubtful, although I really, really like my Petite to be as chunky and fruit forward as possible. I recently tasted a Rosenblum San Francisco Bay area Petite Sirah and it was outstanding. The color was deep and dark purple. The nose was raspberry and a touch of blackberry. The flavor had overtones of blueberry and had a wonderful “mouthfeel” that stayed with you.

            There are a couple of value priced Petite’s that you can count on for value and flavor. First is the Bogle Petite Syrah – year in and year out a best buy in the big glossy wine mag’s. It has risen to about $12 to $14 a bottle, but consistently good. The area that Bogle makes the wine is in Solano County, near Clarksburg. Worth asking for at your retailer.

Concannon is another vineyard that has started produced the variety for years and has one that is affordable and very big and chunky. Same price range, it has a silver label. They also make higher priced ones of the same variety, but if your just trying, go for the one I mentioned. This winery claims to be the first to put out a wine labeled Petite Sirah in California and has a rich history. They are across the bay from San Francisco in Livermore Valley. If you like the bottom of the line, then try the higher priced ones. Line 39 is another inexpensive favorite to try, I wrote about it recently.

The higher end petite’s are also tasty, though when I say higher end, I mean bottles in the $30 - $45 range. One such wine, available only from the winery is Vincent Arroyo, in Napa. I had an experience of tasting four different bottling (different vineyards and a reserve) of the 2004 vintage in December of 2011. These are wines that will stand up to bottle aging and provide the gutsy taste you really look for in this grape. I’ll detail that tasting later.

Any way, there is my case for Petite.  Let me know what you think at Drwineaux@gmail.com. Meanwhile, keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you behind the grape vines.