Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The idiosyncratic Sean Thackrey (a helluva winemaker regardless of vineyard sources or varietals) has changed his label (which I do not like as much as the original), but he is still turning out high class, nuanced, complex, singular wines. The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2002 Sirius Petite Sirah Eagle Point Ranch displays licorice, acacia flower, and black fruit aromas, medium to full body, excellent purity, and firm tannin. While not complex, it reveals plenty of depth as well as richness.
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 large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.