In the 1860's the grape varieties Peloursin and Syrah cross pollinated in French botanist François Durif's vineyard and created the Durif grape. It quickly crossed the pond, and twenty years later California renamed it Petite Sirah. They had no idea if it was or wasn't related to Syrah because the parents weren't realized until DNA testing in the 1990's, but the wine it makes has unmistakable similarities and the actual grapes are much smaller than Syrah... thus, the name Petite Sirah. Because the grapes are smaller, Petite Sirah can create bigger wines than Syrah due to the skin to juice ratio.
Petite Sirah became popular as a blender in the Italian-American communities of California's North Coast wine country, and it made its way to South America and Australia where it too became a popular blender. Today it's been fully embraced by the hotter regions of California like Lodi, Paso Robles, and Temecula and is good blending buddies with Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and often adds some weight and juiciness to Pinot Noir. Petite Sirah is pretty darn important in the New World of wine!
(This article was written for GrapeBunch, our weekly wine periodical. Click here to read the original!)
When it's made into its own varietal, Petite Sirah is what I like to call "stress relief wine". It's big, bold, fruity, juicy, and delightful. It's got strong structured tannin and a rich mouthfeel that plays well with the moderate acidity. There's ripe dark fruits, various herbs, chocolate, and a nice kick of black pepper. It's just sooooo gooooood with hearty dishes and comfort food.
SPELLBOUND PETITE SIRAH
What is Halloween without witchcraft??? That's why you should enjoy Spellbound Petite Sirah for "the night of the witches". I love this Petitie Sirah. It's bold and rich with blueberries, plums, vanilla bean, and roasted coffee. Pairing: beef stew (made in a witches cauldron, of course).
Joey Casco
Beverage Marketer
Certified Specialist of Wine
Certified Specialist of Spirits
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