Notes From The Cellar » petite sirah

☆ 2007 Ravenswood Barricia Single Vineyard Zinfandel

Steve — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:00:48 +0000

Single-Vineyard Zin Brings The Ruckus

I’ve had quite the personal history with Ravenswood. Their Vintners Blend Merlot was one of the first wines I ever drank regularly. It was quite good for its price¹ and it was easy to find.

I have since had some hit-or-miss times with Ravenswood. I’ve come to find that while the “approachability” of their Vintners Blend wines was perfect for me at 21 years old, I need something with a little more personality these days.

Enter the Ravesnwood Single Vineyard Zinfandels. There are quite a few of them, and I have actually had several. This one, the Barricia, is a big dog zin. No joke. It spends 20 months in 100% French oak, clocks in at 14.5% ABV, and is actually 76% zinfandel and 24% petite sirah.

The wine is a dark purple in the core of the glass, lightening to a bit of a garnet red on the edges. On the nose is some blackberry and dark cherry, but also a touch more heat than I like to see.²

The 2007 Ravenswood Barricia is medium bodied, with a long finish. The alcohol comes through, but not too hot. The wine is robust and full-flavored, with a touch of dark fruit, but more obviously, a smoky, meaty element.

The flavor profile would go excellently with grilled meats, but the relatively heavy body, long finish, and higher alcohol make it hard to recommend as a summer barbecuing wine. Still, robust, tasty, and all up in your face: if this is what you look for in a zinfandel, then look no further.

Price Point: $35

Footnotes

Or, at least, so I thought. My palate, as underwhelming as it may be now, was downright infantile back then.
Smell.

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☆ 2007 Intelligent Design Cuvee

Steve — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:00:32 +0000

Smart Central Coast Southern Rhône-style Surprise

There were reasons I thought I wouldn’t like Intelligent Design.

I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m not a fan of the name. Sure, this is my personal bias showing as if my zipper were down (XYPB, Steve), but when I hear the term “Intelligent Design,” I think of crazy fundies trying to teach kids creationism in science class. Rubs me more than just a little the wrong way.

I’ve got another bias to admit, and it’s this: I have something of a bias against wines that state a region on their bottle of either “California” or of one of the Super-AVAs (North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, Sierra Foothills, Central Valley¹). I usually prefer my wine with a bit more geographic specificity than can be offered by these topographical behemoths.

But, as in all things, bias must be set aside (or at least recognized and accounted for) and wine must be tasted and judged on its own merits.

The 2007 Intelligent Design Cuvee from Wesley Ashley Wines is a serious blend of southern Rhône varities: 51.5% carignane, 15% grenache, 14% cinsault, 11% petite sirah, 4.5% mourvèdre, 4% pinot noir.

Yeah, I said pinot noir. That was another reason I eyed this bottle with more than a little suspicion: who blends pinot noir with the southern Rhône Valley?

My biases and prejudices were all totally thrown out the window when I tasted the wine. This is very tasty stuff.

The wine has a ruby red core in the glass, that lightens to edges of dark pink. On the nose is a simultaneously bright-and-dark mixture of stewed cherry, blackcurrant, black pepper, and just a hint of raspberry.

The wine is light-bodied, lighter than its look in the glass belies. There are notes of spice and earth and smoke that mingle with a touch of the nose’s red fruit. Really awesome mixture. My only complaints here are a relatively short finish, and tannin that is just a touch too sharp. Perhaps more time in the bottle will solve the latter issue.

And a small issue it is. This is a very tasty wine from a newcomer to the California wine scene. I know I for one will be paying attention.

Price point: $38

Footnotes

is the Central Valley an “official” Super-AVA now? Is there an “official” status of Super-AVAs?

☆ 2009 The Prisoner

Steve — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:00:55 +0000

A Slight Decline, But Still Sublime

I am a big fan of The Prisoner. This is not news to anyone who previously read my rhapsodic review of the 2008 vintage. If you haven’t, feel free to, either now, or when you’re finished here.

I’m also a big fan of this wine, although it does show some dissimilarities with its immediate predecessor.

For one thing, while Orin Swift Cellars is still the name on the bottle, a new crew owns The Prisoner. The 2009 is the first vintage bottled by The Prisoner’s new owners, Huneeus Vintners, who also own (among others) Quintessa and Faust in Napa Valley, Flowers on the Sonoma Coast, and Veramonte in Chile.

I’m not so sure the change in ownership has benefitted the wine. In fact, before finding any of this out, I had already decided I preferred the 2008. Still, this remains one of the single finest value buys in Napa Valley wine in my opinion. At $35 per bottle, you can easily do much, much worse.

In fact, don’t let my hand-wringing over the inside baseball of ownership dissuade you: this is some really, really good wine.

The 2009 Prisoner has a dark burgundy core in the glass, that lightens a bit to red at its edges. On the nose you’ll find ripe cherries, a touch of strawberry and raspberry. The nose is almost entirely fruit, and not quite as complex as the previous vintage. The wine is medium bodied, and the palate gives more of the complex aromas and flavors that are missing a bit from the nose: incredibly bright, jammy raspberry and cherry notes mingle with subtle dark chocolate and just a touch of smoke.

Soft, supple tannins round out the mouthfeel. Incredibly tasty.

Hopefully, Huneeus won’t fix what ain’t broke, and hopefully fans will be able to enjoy The Prisoner for years to come.

☆ 2008 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

Steve — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Surprising, Young Paso Cab Blend

Last autumn, I participated, if only briefly, in the judging process for the Cabernet Shootout. I discovered that day a few truths: first, tasting and judging a whole slew of wines in one afternoon really isn’t for me. Second, I really quite enjoy Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon.

First off, who is J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines? A big, big, big winery. The 16th largest in California, with an annual production of over 1,000,000 cases. That’s over 2.3 million gallons of juice every year.

So, this is no boutique shop. No newcomer, scratching for attention. Probably not the kind of winery that sends samples to wine bloggers, for instance. This bottle, I tasted because a friend brought it over to the house, and wanted to know my opinion.

My opinion, frankly, surprised me. This ain’t so bad!

First things first, the 2008 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is not just cabernet sauvignon. It’s a blend of many red grapes: 78% cab sauv, 9% petite sirah, 4% syrah, 3% merlot, 3% petit verdot, 2% cabernet franc, and 1% (and this is my favorite part) “other reds.”

Ha! “Other reds,” seriously? That’s creepy.

But what of the wine? It’s got a dark, almost black core in the glass, and lightens to ruby red edges. On the nose are very cabernet-esque aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and cedar.

The wine is medium-bodied, with something of a short finish. It’s fruit-forward, with more blackberry and raspberry on the palate, but also some nice, though tight, tannin structure that makes me think it will age, if only 2-5 years or so.

It’s really quite enjoyable, and shows an age-worthiness and structure that seems out of place of its production level and its sub-$10 price point. Which makes it the first-ever recipient of my Supermarket Surprise badge.

☆ 2008 Lambert Bridge Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Steve — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:00:15 +0000

Supple, Refined Sonoma Zin

One of my favorite dichotomies in California wine is the massive gulf of disparity between Sonoma and Lodi zinfandel. Both areas are well-known for California’s Grape,^™ but both areas do it so very differently.

Zins from Lodi tend to be what I think most people get the idea that zinfandel is, which is big, spicy, high in alcohol but not exactly a fruit bomb. Not totally food-friendly unless you’re pairing it with something that can hold its own (a peppered steak, or maybe some pretty heavy curry).

On the flipside, zinfandel from Sonoma tends to be a bit brighter, more supple and refined. Less spicy, lower in alcohol and more food friendly. It can also be, well, pretty boring at times.

The 2008 DCV Zin from Lambert Bridge is definitely not one of the boring Sonoma zinfandels.

85% zinfandel and 15% petite sirah, this blend from Lambert Bridge’s own Winery Ranch Vineyard is an excellent example of the supple, refined side of California zinfandel. The introduction of the petite sirah, however, gives it a bit of an edge that keeps it from being too flabby or uninspired.

The wine is ruby in the center, and a light pink to the glass’s edge. On the nose is a very nice mixture of fruit and texture aromas, where raspberry and espresso mingle with tobacco and a hard-to-define chalkiness that comes off very rustic, very authentic. The wine is medium-bodied, soft and supple in the mouth. The dominant note is black cherry, but more of the chalky rusticness from the nose appears here on the palate.

What you won’t find are rough edges, super-high ABV (14%), or a lot of spice notes. A little rustic, a whole lotta refined, the 2008 Zin from Lambert Bridge is a very good example of what Sonoma has to offer zinfandel fans.

☆ 2008 The Prisoner

Steve — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:05 +0000

Gladly Taken Prisoner

Orin Swift Cellars is new.

I don’t mean “new” like they were just formed yesterday, or this is their first vintage, or even that you probably haven’t heard of them. They weren’t, the first release of The Prisoner was the 2003 vintage, and it’s entirely likely that you have.

What I mean is that they’re nouveau. They’re young, and vibrant, and current, and modern. Exciting and interesting, doing things and saying things.

Winery honcho/winemaker/jefe Dave Phinney likes him some zinfandel. The first wine he released under the Orin Swift Cellars name was the 2003 Prisoner, a zinfandel-based blend of some incredible Napa juice. The latest vintage is no different.

The 2008 Prisoner is 46% zinfandel, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 15% syrah, 10% petite sirah, 2% charbono, and 1% grenache. The main players, in my opinion, are the first three, and before you read on you should probably try to think, for a second, what a zinfandel/cab sauv/syrah blend might be like.

Ready?

If your first thought was “big,” you get a gold friggin’ star.

Luckily for me, and everyone else who’s had the fortune of drinking the 2008 Prisoner, “big” is not the only appropriate descriptor here. Fruit-forward, balanced, acidic, earthy all work as well. So, the notes, then?

The wine is dark as night in the core of the glass, and lightens to a bright ruby red at the edges. The nose is lush with sweet cherries and darker, richer blackberries, plus a hint of tobacco or cigar box aromas. It smells rich. It smells like it’s not about to fuck around.

The Prisoner is a full-bodied wine that really coats your mouth. Here is an actual note I wrote in my notebook:

Tannin structure out the ass

This, I assure you, should be translated as “lots of structure.” The tannins aren’t rough or overpowering, though. Raspberry and cherry do a little dance, make a little love, and get down with a nicely-balanced earthiness and acidity that just makes itself known on the mid-palate. The lingering finish of cherries keeps you coming back for more.

I say god damn, this is some tasty wine.

The Prisoner has gained a cult following, and it is deserved. This latest vintage is a great example of California red blends done well, and for around $30 a bottle it won’t take your pocketbook captive.

Verdict: 95/100

2008 The Prisoner

☆ Nothing Petite About This Sirah

Steve — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:22:31 +0000

2006 Lambert Bridge “Winery Ranch” Petite Sirah

I feel like I know petite sirah. I served petite sirah at my wedding (America’s first petite sirah, actually. Concannon. Though, not the first petite sirah. We couldn’t get our hands on the 1961 vintage). I’ve had quite a bit of the stuff, and while it’s never been my absolute favorite (once merlot, then pinot noir, now a distinction held by Barolo’s nebbiolo grape) it’s always been something I enjoyed.

And again I find, just when I think I’ve got something figured out, life farts in my soup bowl and says, “Nuh-uh.”

Not that that’s the visual I want to associate with the wine in this review. Far from it. The Lambert Bridge petite sirah is something special, and something very interesting. But boy, is it different from (for instance) the way they do it down Livermore way.

Lambert Bridge

First off, the place is spectacular. Seriously, if you ever find yourself partially lost on West Dry Creek Road, just south of Lambert Bridge Road (with its perilously narrow namesake) you need to check these guys out.

On a side note (as if I don’t get parenthetically sidetracked enough) Andy, part owner of Lambert Bridge and the man who poured us our tastes, is a fellow alumnus, with yours truly, of San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, CA. Small world, indeed.

If you do show up, say “hi” to Bernie for me.

So then, the wine? I’m on a kick these days of dark, dark wines. This one isn’t what I’d call black, but more of a “dark ruby” at the core, with a bit of lightening to a still-brilliant red on the edges. The nose is clean, without any overpowering alcoholic heat, and features notes of black cherry, raspberry truffle, and cinnamon.

This petite sirah is full-bodied, complex, and subtle in most of its notes. What you will find here includes more similarities to the nose: ripe, rich fruit notes coupling nicely with espresso and dark chocolate, with hints of cinnamon (perhaps nutmeg?) flitting about. Lots of structure here, with supple, lush tannins that I would love to see get even softer and more velvety.

Great drinking now, and great drinking in 10 years, I’d wager.

Verdict: A-

☆ A Different Take On Petite Sirah

Steve — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:00:50 +0000

2006 Concannon Nina’s Cuvee Petite Sirah

Just recently, I reviewed this wine’s brother, the Captain Joe. This is a different spin on Petite Sirah from Concannon Vineyard, and while the Joe is more my speed, others might really prefer this one.

Unlike the Joe, the Nina does not have the influence of 20% Syrah grapes. The blend is, according to the bottle, made “primarily” of the Petite Sirah grapes that grew in “Nina’s Vineyard” (named after Nina Concannon, the current winemaker’s grandmother).

The nose on this wine is pleasant, but for me, didn’t have the big fruit notes I was told to expect. Instead I got earth and wet stone, a pleasant “after a recent rain” smell that was fresh and clean, but also hearty and earthy, and a bit sweet.

Black fruit notes come through on the palate, as do some very nice white pepper and clove. It’s quite different from the Captain Joe, but another very nice example of the variety from the winery that pioneered the making of Petite Sirah wine in America a half-century ago.

Verdict: B

☆ Arrrrrrr! Captain Joe Sails The Seas Of Petite Sirah

Steve — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:00:23 +0000

2006 Concannon Captain Joe’s Petite Sirah

I don’t think “Captain Joe” was actually a pirate, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to legitimately title a wine review with “Arrrrrr!” Forgive me.

Concannon Vineyard made the very first Petite Sirah in the United States. They’ve been doing it for 130-ish years now. So, they make a few different PS’s, and they tend to do them well.

The Captain Joe’s is 80% Petite Sirah and 20% Syrah, and this gives it more of an edge and cuts some of the berry that often accompanies Petite Sirah. It still stains the hell out of your teeth, though. (Don’t you love that about PS? I do.)

In the glass it’s a light garnet red with some nice sparkle. You can see through it just a bit, but not like a rose or anything. On the nose are some nice earthy notes, like mushroom and soil. It mixes with a pleasant espresso/coffee note: just a bit of a bitter burn smell, but very faint, and actually very pleasant, not at all “bad”-smelling.

The fruit of the Petite Sirah comes through on the palate in a big way. Sour cherry mixes with a light raspberry note and it all comes through with a medium body that coats the mouth just enough to announce its presence, without feeling heavy or overwhelming.

All in all, very pleasant, and perhaps the best of Concannon’s Petite Sirahs that I’ve enjoyed.

Verdict: B+

2006 Concannon Captain Joe's Petite Sirah

☆ 2007 Tamas Estates Andiamo

Steve — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:42:58 +0000

Made Up Names Can Make For Great Wines

The woman at Tamas Estates’ tasting room was very frank.

“Andiamo isn’t a varietal or style. We made up the word.”

Why? It has to do with certain California wine label laws that state when a winery can (and when they cannot) list a grape varietal on a wine’s label. Seventy-five percent of a wine’s content must be of the stated varietal, assuming there is one at all.

Tamas’ “Andiamo” is 50% Zinfandel, 47% Sangiovese, and 3% Petite Sirah. So while it isn’t 75% any one grape (and hence, has a made-up name) it is 100% delectable.

As a friend likes to put it, “that’s some good juice.”

The nose on the Andiamo is very earthy and rich, it smells like an orchard in the summer, you can almost smell tree bark in there (oh yeah… the wine is fermented in oak barrels, isn’t it?). There’s also a hint of warm spice, like nutmeg or cardamom or something similar.

On the palate, the wine is rich and lustrous. Notes of coffee and chocolate mix with a very dark and hearty raspberry note. The wine feels like drinking velvet.

This is not to say it’s anything like, for instance, Porto or Madeira. It’s not thick or sticky feeling, or really all that sweet. But the flavors are big and bold and quite impressive. Recommended.

Verdict: B+