Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Sourced from the Russian River Valley portion of Sonoma, the 2015 Petite Sirah Sweetwater Springs Vineyard is shockingly elegant, especially given the variety, which can tend to be overdone and rustic. Blueberries, plums, spring flowers, tobacco, and charcoal notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Petite Sirah that has awesome purity, fine yet certainly present tannin, and a great finish. This beauty is going to drink nicely for 15+ years.
Rating: 95+ -
Wine Spectator
Deeply structured, dark and polished, with potent blackberry, dark chocolate and white pepper flavors that build toward lively, ripe tannins. Drink now through 2027.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.