Petite Sirah was first named after Francois Durif, a botanist from the French University
of Montpellier. The original source seed was obtained from
the berry of another French variety named Peloursin, and after more than 100
years, the father was identified through DNA analysis as Syrah.
This variety,
known as Durif in France and
as Petite Sirah in the US,
contains generous amounts of tannin, color, and backbone that make it an ideal
wine for use as a blending wine. For
just these reasons, it can be a challenge to make it into a balanced varietal
wine. We harvested the grapes at the
peak of ripeness to maximize the fruit character and minimize the harsh tannins
and fermented the wine in our Dual Compartment Submerged Cap Fermentation Tanks
that resulted in a highly concentrated wine. We then aged the wine for two years in predominantly
French oak barrels. During final
blending we added 20% Estate Grown Syrah to contribute balance and elegance to
the wine.
Inky dark purple in color with a blueberry aroma
with hints of smoke and baking spices. Very concentrated flavors that carry to the finish adding cocoa and
coffee flavors. An elegant wine
with lots of tannins giving a firm structure with a perfect balance.
Varietal Content:
80% Petite Sirah, Estate Grown, Shenandoah
Valley California
20% Syrah, Estate Grown, Shenandoah
Valley California
Bottling Date: September 23, 2014
Cases Produced: 395
pH: 3.6
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Residual Sugars: Less than 0.1%
