Last Week's Tasting Notes

​Ramsay Petite Sirah ($14.99)
North Coast, California
From the producer:
"Petite Syrah has always been one of my favorite wines.  Young Petites are so grapey and thick, and old ones are rich and complex, almost like old Clarets. 

The Petite Syrah grape (called Durif in France) has never been terribly popular, however, and saw its greatest fame here in California during prohibition and into the early 1970's when many true world-class wines were made from it by producers such as Concannon, Ridge, Stag's Leap and Freemark Abbey.  By the late 1970's, consumer demand had fallen to such a level that the grapes, even from the best appellations, almost couldn't be given away.  Today this has changed, with a cadre of true-believers bringing the grape back to life.

The 2015 Ramsay North Coast Petite Sirah is exactly what a Petite Sirah SHOULD be—-big, rich and fun to drink.  It has loads of bright fruit, yet also loads of big complex tannins (but not the mouth-scrubbing kind!).  I love it both with food and on its own."

From me:
This wine is dark, big in the mouth, acidic enough to keep it from being flabby, but still very smooth. The tannins give it just enough structure, but they are not overwhelming. This is definitely a wine that pairs well with food, but it is also enjoyable on its own. A nice example of the varietal.

Michael David Inkblot Petit Verdot ($34.99)
Lodi, California
From the producer:
​"This is the first varietal of Petit Verdot wine produced by Michael David Winery and one of the few ever produced from Lodi. The grapes for this wine come from Jon Wetmore’s vineyard, positioned on the northeast side of Lodi. Every year when compared to other Petit Verdot vineyards, the quality of this lot is at the top of its class. Because of the high level of tannin, color, and concentration, this wine is always put into new barrels early in the harvest season.

Intense aromas of leather, earth, and hickory smoke give way to black fruit as the wine breathes. Dark plum, black currant and a hint of spice paired with polished tannins create a full-bodied and flavorful Petit Verdot."

From me:
In the spirit of full disclosure, this wine does have "a touch" of Petite Sirah in it, but not enough to dampen the character of the Petit Verdot. The grape alone produces wine that is highly tannic, so I suspect the addition of the Petite Sirah just give this wine a little more smoothness. It is still very tannic, and very bold, and though not to everyone's taste, I find it delicious. It's great to pair with fatty cuts of meat, mushrooms, pulses, or strong cheeses.

Michael David Petite Petit ($16.99)
Lodi, California
From the producer:
"Like elephants whose size is imposing, Petite Petit is large! A blend of 85% PetiteSirah and 15% Petit Verdot. Offering a joyous explosion of color and fun, it is a substantial, dense, full-bodied, whopper style of wine loaded with pure black fruit and vanilla flavors that coat the palate. It reveals remarkable richness with a finish that is slightly dry and seems to linger.

Aged 16 months in French oak, our memorable blend of Petite Sirah and Petit
Verdot definitely steals the show. Our trunks detect blueberry, violet and plum. Chalky tannins give a smooth and seamless finish to this jumbo sized offering, leaving you wanting more."

From me:
With this wine we can experience two big, bold, dark grapes married in a smooth and rich style, well-aged and made into something very drinkable. It is a good example of wine from this region--ripe, bold, higher in alcohol, and fruit-forward with good structure. This can be paired easily, but it is also very easy on its own.