If you like a big, fruity, intensely colored red wine, we highly recommend that you take the time to taste a few Petite Sirahs. To be completely transparent, it’s not one of the most noble and time-honored grape varieties, and in fact, it’s relatively new to the scene. It was created in 1880 by Francois Durif in his agricultural laboratory in Montpellier, France due to an accidental cross of a relatively unknown variety, Peloursin with a better-known variety, Syrah. Although it was unintentional, Durif took credit for the resulting grape and arrogantly named it after himself. It’s still called Durif in France and Australia, but when it arrived in California in 1878 it was confused with Syrah and given the nickname “Petite Syrah” because of the grape’s low yields. At that time, most winemakers only used it as a blending grape to add rich color to their wines, but to avoid confusion the name was changed to Petite Sirah.
In California it grows well in warmer locations like Lodi, Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles and in warm grape growing regions in Israel. When made into a single-variety wine such as those we’re featuring below, you can expect dark, deep, rich ruby, inky, and garnet colors and aromas and fruit flavors of black plum, blueberry conserves, and black raspberry with secondary notes of saddle leather, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, black pepper, and brown spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. When you’re thinking of what foods to pair with Petite Sirah think pulled pork sandwiches, barbecue brisket, Kansas City ribs, and juicy burgers.
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Relic Wine Cellars 2018 Old Vines Petite Sirah Napa Valley California
Mike Hirby moved from Colorado Springs to Calistoga in 2000 and met Schatzi Throckmorton while working at Behrens & Hitchcock winery. They fell in love and married in 2005 and founded Relic Wine Cellars. In 2009 they purchased vineyards and in 2014 they broke ground on their cave and winery. Relic’s 2018 Petite Sirah is made from some of its older vines and has aromas of freshly ground black pepper, black currant, and black plum with soft tannins and flavors of dark chocolate, cinnamon, black raspberry, and cassis.
Buy Now: $70
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Stags’ Leap Winery 2018 Petite Sirah Napa Valley California
Stags’ Leap Winery estate vineyard covers 85 acres and is separated into 23 different blocks based on exposure to the sun, soil type, and whether it is a valley floor or hillside location. Its Ne Cede Malis Block was studied by University of California, Davis in the 1980s after the winery discovered field blend Petite Sirah vines and other Rhone varieties that were planted there in the 1930s. These old vines were grafted and extensively researched and are responsible for much of the information we know today about Petite Sirah in California. Stags’ Leap Winery 2018 Petite Sirah is garnet to purple colored in the glass with aromas of cinnamon, black pepper, and black currant with flavors of black plum, blueberry, and vanilla.
Buy Now: $42
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Ridge 2021 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County California
Better known for their Monte Bello and Zinfandel wines, Ridge makes an under the radar Sonoma County Petite Sirah from their Lytton Estate vineyard. Ridge was founded by Dr. Osea Perrone in 1885 when he purchased 180 acres of land, planted vineyards, and later dug a cellar. Today, the “upper vineyard” sits at 2,600 feet and is called the Perrone Ranch in his honor. Ridge 2021 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah is inky purple in the glass with aromas of red plum, cassis, and red currant with smooth, rounded tannins and flavors of smoked meats, blueberry confiture, black raspberry, and brown baking spices.
Buy Now: $52
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Recanati 2021 Reserve Petite Sirah (Kosher) Israel
Recanati was founded in Israel by Lenny Recanati and Uri Shaked in 2000 with the mission of producing excellent wines that reflected the unique terroir of Israel. Today the winemaking team grows French varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay but also makes excellent wine from Petite Sirah as well as Marawi, the latter an authentic Israeli variety that grew here over 3,000 years ago. Recanati Reserve Petite Sirah is certified Kosher and comes to the US market in time for Passover and at an excellent price because of the US dollar to Israel shekel exchange rate. It has aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, and leather with flavors of red currant, cassis, and a touch of tobacco leaf.
Buy Now: $35
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Adaptation by Odette 2019 Petite Sirah Napa Valley California
Adaptation by Odette is part of the PlumpJack collection of wines. PlumpJack was founded by Gavin Newsom on San Francisco’s Fillmore Street in 1992 and since that time the company has grown to include co-founder Gordon Getty, general manager John Conover, and a team of excellent winemakers. For this stunning Petite Sirah grapes are sourced from vineyards located in Napa Valley. It has aromas of cassis, red currant, and black plum with silky tannins and flavors of black raspberry, black currant, and a touch of tobacco leaf in the persistent finish.
Buy Now: $64
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Optik 2021 French Camp Petite Sirah Highlands District Paso Robles California
French Camp Vineyard is one of the highest in Paso Robles and because of this it can have up to a 50-degree temperature change between bright sunny days and cool, windy, nights. This factor contributes to the bold flavors and bright acidity found in many wines made from grapes sourced here. Grapes used to produce Optik 2021 Petite Sirah hail from this vineyard and the resulting wine has aromas of ripe black plum, cigar box, and black raspberry with vibrant acidity and rounded tannins supporting flavors of blueberry, raspberry, and red currant.
Buy Now: $54
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Aaron Wines 2021 Petite Sirah Paso Robles Central Coast California
Aaron Jackson was born in California’s Central Coast wine region and studied winemaking at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo; he launched the first vintage of his eponymous Petite Sirah in 2002. He studied for his master’s degree in oenology at the University of Adelaide in South Australia and eventually returned home to make wine. His 2021 Petite Sirah is inky purple in color with aromas of cassis, dark chocolate, and blueberry. Upon entry it is medium bodied with soft, rounded tannins and flavors of raspberry, red currant, and black plum.
Buy Now: $57
