Winemaker Notes
Petite Sirah thrives in the Dunnigan Hills. The long, warm growing season and well-drained gravelly soils create the optimum conditions to produce the full-bodied, well-structured wine expected from this distinct varietal. The 2021 Petite Sirah has a dark, inky hue that mirrors the bouquet on earth and spice and crushed blueberries. The flavors are a mouth-coating mix of boysenberry, blackberry, pepper and plums. The dense, chewy texture is balanced by the touch of vanilla and fruit sweetness that linger on the palate.
Matchbook Petite Sirah is delicious on its own yet has the structure to stand up to grilled lamp chops, slow-roasted ribs or a spicy chili.
Blend: 75% Petite Sirah, 18% Petit Verdot, 6% Touriga Nacional, 1% Teroldego
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.
Mitigated by mild Sacramento River Delta breezes, the Dunnigan Hills appellation is in the northwest portion of Yolo County and has a Mediterranean climate.