Varietal
Petite Sirah has a somewhat mysterious lineage. The famed French ampelographer Pierre Galet asserts that it is a descendant of Durif, a nearly extinct French varietal. DNA testing of California Petite Sirah of the early 1990’s suggested it was actually related to famed Rhone varietal Syrah. In either case this varietal, which grows well in Monterey as well as the Italian-American settlements of Sonoma and Paso Robles, is known for its substantial tannins and deep color. Though often used in blends to shore up softer, paler red wines, it has garnered a strong cult following for its dark character and magnificent age-ability.

Vintage
Vintage 2002 started wet, even before the calendar said it was 2002 - we almost had our seasonal average of rain before the New Year – with January and February being unusually dry and typically cold. We had light rain at the end of March that slowed down budbreak but without causing any major problems. Unsettled weather through spring kept things interesting. More cool weather in May extended bloom, which could have caused uneven ripening. At the end of May we were about two weeks behind 2001. Veraison began in late July, later than average, but earlier than 1998 and 1999. Moving into the final stages of the growing season we were in pretty good shape considering that our summer had been fairly mild. 2002 was a vintage won in the vineyard, beginning shortly after budbreak with shoot thinning, and on through the season with crop thinning to balance the vines and eliminate any damaged or delayed fruit. This work by our growers allowed us to bring in ripe, uniform, high quality fruit with intense flavors and nice natural acid levels.

Vinification
Strict tannin management is a must with Petite Sirah. The grapes were cold soaked for 2 days prior to fermentation and spent 12 days on the skins. The grapes were lightly pressed to maintain a delicate balance between flavors, color and tannins. The wine spent 17 months in American and French oak before being bottled in March 2004. Alcohol 14.5%, T.A. .57, pH 3.78, Residual sugar .03.

Tasting Notes
Paso Robles is finally gaining respect for its Australian-styled, robust red wines, especially Rhone varietals, which includes Petite Sirah. This is a real mouthful: very full bodied, powerful in flavor (black plum, boysenberry, toast, oak, and pepper), and smooth and long on the finish. Serve with lamb goulash, beef stew, saltimbocca (sautéed veal scallop with proscuitto, Parmesan cheese & sage), and roast duck in green olives, Madeira & tomato sauce.

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