Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Though younger than most current Petite Sirah releases, this bottling impresses wildly with fragrant boysenberries and crushed lavender on the nose, proving to be a floral-driven style that's not beaten down by richness or ripeness, despite the higher alcohol level that doesn't show at all. Insane amounts of cracked white and black pepper meet with toasted sesame seeds, tart boysenberries and more lavender on the palate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A big, rich, concentrated, yet elegant and balanced expression of the variety, the inky colored 2014 Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard has tons of ripe blackberry, plum, mint and sappy herbs in its full-bodied, focused and pure profile. It should keep for a decade or more.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.