2013 Napa Valley "Palisades Vineyard" Petite Sirah
100% Petite Sirah
While most wine drinkers consider Napa Valley synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon, there was once a time when Petite Sirah was the most widely planted grape in Napa. And there was a good reason for that. It excelled in the valley, especially towards the warmer north end. Alas, very little Petite Sirah exists in Napa Valley today. Growers simply cannot ignore the economics of Cabernet Sauvignon. Fortunately, however, a few old plantings still exist, like the dry-farmed Palisades Vineyard just east of Calistoga. Picked September 12th, the wine spent 31 days on the skins to soften the tannin. All French oak, only 20% new. As usual, unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
I could just repeat the note for the 2012. Color? Black with black light purple bubbles. Completely opaque. Fruit? Blueberries and blackberries galore! Full-bodied but with some of the plushest, most round tannins you’ll ever encounter in a Petite Sirah, a result of the extended maceration. The 20% new oak is nowhere to be found. If you enjoy powerful, concentrated wines, this wine can certainly be consumed young (I enjoyed the sample while writing this note!). But there’s no doubt that it will also age gloriously for quite some time. Hence, a wide drinking window. Enjoy from 2015 through 2030. (MRO – 01/21/15)