The "Lunatic Fringe":
Petite Sirah has the kind of long suffering, scornful, misunderstood
history that I am perversely attracted to:
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an under-appreciated,
underdog varietal, long in history/ short on mainstream
success, with a knack for mystery and confusion, a reputation
for uninspiring wines-- a real laggard among trend followers.
All things conspiring to bury it (for all intents and
purposes) as recently as 1995! |
At the same time, its redeeming qualities are clear to anyone
who dares to look:
Unique:
For consumers who are drawn to off-the-beaten-path:
Despite it being a quintessentially American varietal (there
is No “Old World” comparable, with very little produced
elsewhere in the world), and a true treasure of California’s
viticultural history—there is relatively little Petite
Sirah available in the market.
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Frank Prial, in a 4/30/2003
New York Times article about Petite Sirah entitled “A
robust red goes straight to the point”, begins: |
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“If it didn’t have such
a French-sounding name, petite sirah might have become
the all-American grape we mistakenly think zinfandel to
be.” |
Intense:
PET has an inherent capacity for dark, full-throttle, hearty,
muscular, inky, brooding, intense wines. Typical flavor descriptors
include plum, blackberry, and wild berry, often with black
pepper notes. Historically it has been made in a more “rustic,”
or heartier style, but a more recent trend is to tame its exhibitionist
tannins into a more elegant, approachable wine from the start…
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Frank Prial, again, in
his 4/30/2003 New York Times article, continues:
“the
appeal of petite sirah is certainly not subtlety. It is
intense, loud and direct…” |
Age Worthy:
All things being equal, a wine with darker color and more tannins
will age better due to its greater ability to withstand oxidation
over time. PET has both elements-- in spades.
Underdog:
For those softies, like us, who root for the underdog:
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Jordan MacKay, in Decanter’s 2004 California Supplement, writes about PET:
“…it
has humble roots; its rag to riches to rags story illuminates
the underdog grape with a Dickensian glow, suggesting
a modesty sorely lacking in flashier trends.” |
In short, it’s an under-appreciated, relatively
unknown varietal, uniquely anchored to California (at a time
when the wine world is awash in a sea of other widespread
varietals), and it has an inherent capacity for big, intense,
and age worthy wines…
As a result—it is said that PET’s knowledgeable
fans are as loyal and rabid as Zin fans…
Count us among the Lunatic Fringe…
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