Last night I attended the packed Wednesday Wine and Dine at Spiritland Bistro for which the night’s featured wine was Petite Sirah. Everybody totes along a bottle (or two) of Petite Sirah (no rules, other than it has to be Petite Sirah). I brought our two most recent, and only, vertical vintages of Thompson Vineyard Petite Sirah, 2005 and 2006.
Craig Jaffurs of Jaffurs Wine Cellars spoke about the varietal between courses of wontons, venison riblets, and molten chocolate cake. I wasn’t aware how rare it is to find the varietal outside of California. Though it technically is a Rhone varietal, everything about it is American. Jaffurs’ wife called it “Manifest Destiny in a glass.” Big, plump, extracted, juicy, fruit forward… all of these adjectives demand some meat to go alongside the hearty glass of vino. A cross between Peloursin and Syrah, has yielded a wine that can be found in hot spots all over California.
If you have a bottle of the 2005 Santa Barbara Winery Petite Sirah at home, it is drinking very nicely right now. It definitely benefits from some time in the decanter to allow it to open up…
Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery
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