***BOTTLING LATE OCTOBER, SHIPPING SHORTLY AFTER***
We only nab one of these a year if we’re lucky.
Contrary to common misconception, Petite Sirah is not “smaller Syrah,” but quite the opposite. A naturally occurring French crossing of Syrah and Peloursin discovered in the 1860s, this intense, small-berried grape is renowned for producing extremely dense, full-bodied wines packed with rich dark fruit and powerful tannins. For most wine drinkers (Tannat devotees aside), it’s as bold as red wine gets.
While it never took off in its native France, California has happily taken on the mantle as Petite Sirah’s epicenter. With no worries about being tied to any “Old World tradition,” American producers have been free to cultivate and craft it as they see fit, though it remains quite rare (accounting for only 2% of the state’s crush). Due to its innate boldness, it’s also mostly used as a blending component to add muscle to other wines. That makes finding single-varietal releases a considerably difficult task.
It’s fitting, then, that our newest Petite Sirah acquisition comes from a world-class region that Vinous has described as follows: “Is there anywhere else in the world that can do this many things this well?”
Lot 634 is an estate-grown, 100% Petite Sirah crafted by a winemaker whose pedigree and resume are absolute crème de la crème. Sourced from a multigenerational family-owned winery with a planting considered one of the finest in the state, this is a pinnacle bottling rarely found in the wild. Besides the obligatory tooth-staining element, this classically dark gem possesses uncanny freshness to perfectly complement its naturally imposing structure. Few domestic producers devote this kind of attention to Petite Sirah to begin with so the possible pool is tiny as is, but it’s sufficient air cover to disclose the wine sells for $45+ a pop directly from the source – that makes us especially happy to announce that our negotiations have secured one of the most refined expressions of Petite Sirah we’ve ever come across to the tune of just $16/bottle!
Our price: $99/6-pack, $16+/bottle!
Santa Barbara winemakers like to refer to their “refrigerated sunshine” – getting plenty of sun while remaining remarkably cool thanks to transverse mountain ranges and east-west valleys, which funnel chilled Pacific air inland. It’s a recipe coveted by growers because it creates a seriously extended growing season and helps our source’s block of Petite Sirah to ripen gradually and fully while maintaining ample acidity. Hand-picked and fermented in open-top tanks, the juice was then aged in top-of-the-line 100% French oak barrels for nearly 24 months.
Signature dark on the pour, the nose opens with a refined bouquet of blueberry compote, sugar plums, and black tea accented by black pepper. On the palate, dark cocoa powder and Persian bergamot tea are framed by incredibly balanced acidity and plentiful, velvety tannins. The finish is dry and layered, beginning with dark fruit and spice before revealing crushed rock that makes way for elegant, slow-breaking waves of vanilla and crushed violets. Smoldering.
