Corte Riva Petite Sirah 2004
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A knock-out effort, the 2004 Petite Sirah is a blockbuster red made in the style of the Robert Foley and Switchback Ridge Petite Sirahs. Inky/purple to the rim, with hints of pepper, earth, blackberries, cassis, plums, violets, incense, and Chinese black tea, it possesses huge body, sweet tannin, and enormous richness as well as length. Give this monster 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 25 years.
The wines that have been created by Lawrence and Romel have been very successful. Lawrence and Romel have realized their American dream, they, and their families, have worked hard and are beginning to see the results.
With its deep color, firm tannins and bold flavors, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah. The variety, originally known as Durif in the Rhône, took on its more popular moniker after being imported to California in the early 1880s. Quintessentially recognized today as a grape of the Golden State, Petite Sirah works well blended with Zinfandel and finds success as a single varietal wine in the state’s warmer districts. Somm Secret—Petite Sirah is not a smaller version of Syrah but it is an offspring of Syrah and the now nearly extinct French Alpine variety called Peloursin.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.