Winemaker Notes
Blend: 100% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This deep, inky, purple-hued wine imparts decadent aromas of blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry and marionberry complemented by toasted wood, chocolate and a subtle scent of smoky-umami. Full-on tannins greet the palate, but they are mature and feel purposeful and are—most importantly—well matched with the voluptuous, ripe nature of the fruits and balanced by acidity. Deep and complex now, this wine will become even more interesting with age.
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James Suckling
A rich and flavorful 100% petite sirah with purple-fruit, sweet-tobacco and coffee-bean aromas and flavors. It’s full and chewy with lots of fruit and tannins. Some bitter coffee at the end. Drink or hold.
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.
Sitting on the northeast side of the Clear Lake appellation, this warm area boasts multiple soil types that allow growers a lot of flexibility and experimentation with grape varieties. While Sauvignon blanc is a mainstay, this zone excels with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, as well as other less common varieties like Barbera and Tempranillo.