Petite Sirah

Like Zinfandel, Petite Sirah is a Californian grape known for producing high-alcohol, fruity, extremely full-bodied wines. Again like Zinfandel, it's quite misunderstood: its origins are often confused, which leads to it not always been used correctly. It's taken me some time to appreciate the grape, but I feel serious, worthwhile versions are finally coming out of California.

the grape

Petite Sirah is known by that name in California, as well as Mexico and Argentina. It's been grown there since the nineteenth century, which is where the confusion starts. It was mostly grown as part of 'field blends' - vineyards where many grape varieties are grown - contributing tannins, fruit, and alcohol to that blend. It was also mostly grown by Italian immigrants for table wine, even though the grape has no Italian background. These field blends, based on traditional Italian practices of growing whatever was in the field, meant that no one really knew what was going into the wine. Even now, when much more is understood about the grape, 10% of grapes called Petite Sirah are something entirely different.

The name Petite Sirah also causes confusion. Introduced into California as Syrah, its name comes from its smaller berries. Petite Sirah is in actual fact a nineteenth-century French crossing between Syrah and Peloursin by a Dr. Durif. This crossing never took off in France where it is little grown; it is, however, grown in Australia where it is correctly called Durif after its maker. These wines are even bigger, fuller, and more intense than Shiraz, and provide a dark, bitter alternative to Australia's most famous export.

In California, Petite Sirah is still most often seen in blends. It may not seem apparent that Californian wines require more oomph and alcohol, but that's what Petite Sirah provides. Some wineries produce 100% Petite Sirah wines; my first impressions on tasting these were that they were far too big, jammy, and unsubtle. However, I have been increasingly impressed by some of the single-varietal wines I have tasted: big and bold, yes, but underpinned with complex bitter aromas quite different from other wines.

the wines

Chateau Montelena Petite Sirah 2009 14.5% ($35)

I visited Montelena last August and this was my first taste of a Californian 100% Petite Sirah. As big and aggressive as it was, I came away impressed by its substantial, uncompromising depth. With dark chocolate, black fruits, vanilla, and very chewy tannins, this is a wine that does not shy away.

Seghesio Il Cinghiale Petite Sirah 2010 14.8% ($38)

Seghesio are the ultimate example of an Italian-Californian winery. Established in the 1890s by an Italian immigrant, they still specialise in Italian varieties. Their flagship Zinfandel features around 10% Petite Sirah (Home Ranch Zinfandel, $58), and they make this appropriately named single-varietal (Il Cinghiale means wild boar). This is a big wine, spicy with chewy tannins and flavours of cocoa, blueberries, and black cherries. Even though Petite Sirah's origins are French, this wine feels like the wild south of Italy.

Nichelini Petite Sirah 2010 14.5% ($43)

Another producer with Italian origins dating back to the nineteenth century - Nichelini managed to work through Prohibition and are the Napa Valley's oldest continual winery. 2010 was a year with a hot spike but this Petite Sirah is more balanced compared to the Zinfandel (16.1%). Vibrant black fruits (blackberries, cherries, plums), with a spicy bitter chocolate and cocoa mouth.

m2 Petite Sirah 2009 14.9% ($33)

I picked this up in a farm shop on the Central Coast Delta near Lodi, without knowing much about it beyond its attractive label. It's from Clarksburg, a small AVA that's known mostly for its Chenin Blanc. The result is a seriously impressive wine, broad black fruits given structure by a well-integrated oakiness. I drank this with a spaghetti dish at home, further evidence of Petite Sirah's peculiar Italian nature.

Dutch Henry Petite Sirah 2008 ($60)

"Dutch Henry" was a nineteenth-century prospector and highwayman, giving his name to a canyon that lies behind this Calistoga winery that has to be visited just to meet the Airedale terriers. This Petite Sirah has big, ripe, almost jammy fruits, chocolate and coffee, but with a good structure, gripping tannins, and a grainy, oaky undertow. An impressive wine, although expensive at $60.

Quixote Petite Syrah (sic) 2002 14.4% ($110)

In the heart of Napa Valley is one of its most architecturally interesting wineries. It's also one that has always concentrated on Petite Sirah, producing serious, intense, ageworthy expressions of the grape that have fully convinced me of its potential. The 2002 is ageing extremely well: the nose is somewhat stinky, with hints of Brett, but smoky and earthy too. The palate is alive and complex, with plenty of black fruits and Petite Sirah's characteristic coffee and cocoa flavours. The acidity is still lively, the wine dark and spicy.

Looking back at my tasting notes for the Petite Sirahs I have encountered since August, the recurring words are "big," "chewy," and "cocoa." Expect big tannins, high alcohol, and unavoidable fruits; once you appreciate these elements, however, you understand its ageability, power, and depth. Not wines to be messed with, nor dismissed casually.

 

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is the all-American grape: big, bold, and brash. Up-front and fruity, it has nothing to hide and everything to say. It's high in alcohol (usually climbing above 15%), low in subtlety, screaming its California motto at you: "Go big or go home." All of this has made Zinfandel a very popular style of wine, its immediate flavours having an easy appeal that's hard to resist.

However, rather like Australian Shiraz, its appeal is also its downside. If you don't want a wine whose alcohol approaches the levels of fortified wine, then avoid Zinfandel. If you don't want a fruit bomb, then give Zinfandel a miss. If you want a structured, balanced wine, then don't stop at the Zinfandel shelf.

My travels around California have confirmed some of those impressions, but also challenged them. It's still nearly always high in alcohol and Zinfandel wouldn't be Zinfandel without its jammy black and blue fruits, but I've discovered plenty of serious wines with structure, depth, and ageability. Maybe because I've come to the wines quite fresh, I've often preferred Napa Zins to Cab Sabs - they're certainly more affordable.

where's it from?

The world came crashing in on the all-American grape in the 1990s when genetic fingerprinting proved that Zinfandel was the same grape as obscure, rustic Primitivo - rather like an American tycoon learning that they were descended from poor Italian immigrants...

It is, of course, impossible for Zinfandel to be an indigeneous American grape - all wine-producing vines are part of the vitis vinifera species which originates from Europe. Although Zinfandel was only known in California, it had to have come from Europe at some point. There are various theories about its origin, but the likelihood is that it was imported from Vienna by one George Gibbs late in the 1820s, making its way to California during the Gold Rush as Zinfandal. The grape itself doesn't originate from Italy, however, but Croatia. There's also a strong chance that Primitivo was imported into Italy by Italians returning home from California.

For all its genetic controversy, Zinfandel is now very much its own grape, grown in California for a hundred and fifty years, with nineteenth-century plantings still in use. During that time it's been soaked in California sunshine, reflecting the dry, dusty Californian terroir as well as time's changing fashions. 

Zinfandel in véraison, Calistoga

what does it taste like?

Due to its hardiness and popularity, Zinfandel is grown in areas that are too hot because it can cope with that heat and is overproduced because it has no problem providing high yields. That's where the image of Zinfandel as jammy and obvious comes from. The high alcohol has risen as the trend for rich, alcoholic wines has grown, although, as with other styles of wine in California, levels of alcohol are beginning to settle.

Whatever the style of Zinfandel, the black and blue fruits should be immediate, but serious examples of Zinfandel use American oak for up to two years, giving the wine real structure and balance, as well as adding a peppery spiciness.

There is also a phenomenon called White Zinfandel, which has further damaged the reputation of the grape if not producers' finances. Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home in Napa launched White Zinfandel in the 1970s and saw sales mushroom in the 80s; this resulted in increased plantings of the grape, which is one positive outcome. White Zinfandel is pink, sweet, and a tiny bit fizzy.

wines

Without doubt the greatest producer of Zinfandel in California is Ridge. Although they are based in Santa Cruz, their finest Zinfandels come from Lytton Springs and Geyserville in northern Sonoma. The best Napa and Sonoma Zinfandels come from high altitude areas that are hot during the day but cool at night, allowing the grape to ripen at a slow, steady pace. I haven't visited Ridge yet, but the Lytton Springs is one my favourite Californian wines, arguably besting even their own famous Cabernets. It's a great example of a big, powerful, unabashed wine that is still classically balanced. Here are some of the many Zinfandels I've tasted over the last two months.

Saddleback Old Vine Zinfandel 2012 ($40)

Most of the grapes for this wine are grown in hot Calistoga, the best area of the Napa Valley for Zinfandel. Like the rest of Saddleback's wines, this is a serious, oaky, tannic wine, but softened by the Zinfandel fruits (plums and blueberries). The only Saddleback red to be aged in American oak, the wine has distinct vanilla, chocolate, and coconut aromas, and is very spicy on the mouth with pepper and liquorice. Still young, with plenty of ageing potential.

Regusci Zinfandel 2010 ($60)

Regusci are the only winery in Stags Leap AVA to plant their own Zinfandel - there just isn't enough money compared to Cabernet Sauvignon to justify planting the grape in the heart of Napa Valley. The intensity of the wine is quite different from those grown at higher altitudes: besides the black and blue fruits, the nose is toasty, oaky, and peppery, with a spicy, dusty palate - it's the dust that marks it out as from the lower reaches of the valley.

Nichelini Reserve Zinfandel 2010 ($41)

Nichelini, Chiles Valley

Yet another old Italian family still using original plantings of the vine - the family have been making wine in the same spot since the 1890s, including through Prohibition. Nichelini are based high in Chiles Valley, where altitude again affects the character of the wine. This Zinfandel is not shy: from 2010, when an unexpected heat spike overripened the grapes, the wine comes to a whopping 16.1% ABV. It's big, spicy, and alcoholic: the pepper, liquorice, and alcohol leave the tongue burning. It may mellow out after a few years, but even after four it's a bit too much. Nichelini also make a Primitivo, which is a bit more mellow (although it was from the cooler 2011 vintage), its fruits more chocolatey; an interesting comparison.

Seghesio Rockpile Zinfandel 2012 ($38) & Home Ranch Zinfandel 2012 ($58)

Seghesio are a Sonoma producer who have made their name growing Italian grape varieties - they also make wines from Arneis, Vermentino, Barbera, Sangiovese, Aglianco, and Petite Sirah (a French grape known in France as Durif but often grown in California by Italian immigrants). Zinfandel was first planted by founder Edoardo Seghesio in 1895 on the Home Ranch vineyard, plantings which are still used today. Besides Home Ranch, Seghesio make several Zinfandels, all from vineyards throughout Sonoma County. My favourite is the Rockpile, from a small AVA where the vines must be above the fog level, attracting intense sunshine during the day but subject to cool nights - perfect for Zinfandel. It's a stony, floral wine, with subtle fruits on the nose; on the palate, it's more aggressive and oaky, with drying, slightly bitter tannins. Seghesio's premium wine, from the original Home Ranch vineyard, is serious, almost like a Cabernet Sauvignon on the nose. The palate is concentrated and complex, juicy, oaky, and spicy, with a particularly peppery finish.

Joseph Swan Stellwagen Zinfandel 2008 ($30)

Although Russian River Valley is best known for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, it produces intense Zinfandels from select slopes. Joseph Swan make several single-vineyards Zins. The last ever vintage from the Stellwagen vineyard, this is a fruity, savoury wine, with vanilla, anise, and roses and violets adding a refined elegance.

When visiting the Joseph Swan winery, I couldn't resist buying one of their Zinfandels from 2001, for just $35. This is the first mature Zinfandel I've tasted: the rich black fruits were there, but were more dried and overladen with leather and game. Although Joseph Swan wines are unusual and generally come into their own with a bit of age, this was proof that Zinfandel is ageworthy, and not just a young, fruity wine to be drunk straightaway.

I've been tasting Zinfandel throughout my visits to different California wineries - more than any grape, it grows successfully in most areas. I've already reviewed the following wines on previous blogs from Laura Michael, Lone Madrone, and Pomar Junction.

From being somewhat sceptical of Zinfandel upon my arrival in California, I now look forward to tasting each winery's style and I'm disappointed if one isn't made. It's produced in different ways, from fruity and fun to oaky and serious, and you're never quite sure what you're going to get. As ever in California, terroir is key: it's at its best in high areas with significant variations in temperature from day to night, and it reflects the dusty intensity of California's summer heat. Zinfandel has so won me over as an expression of California, that the Saddleback Zin is going to feature at my wedding next week alongside Chardonnay and Rioja. I can think of no greater compliment than that.

Go West!

American wine is wonderfully diverse and unpredictable - unsurprisingly, given it's made in each of the fifty states - but for most there's only one place that comes to mind when thinking of American wine: California. The state produces 90% of the country's wine, but this dominance can do both the state and the country a disservice. Stereotypes of Californian wine as big, bold, and fruity persist, overlooking the range of styles across the state, and the high quality wines coming from Washington and Oregon, and to a lesser degree New York and Virginia, get overlooked. This is why it was so exciting to see the very different states of California, Oregon, and Washington get together to offer a joint trade tasting in London - so exciting, in fact, that I travelled down to the unreal city itself to partake. Here is a selection of the wines I tasted.

California

two of the great Santa Barbara wineries: Au Bon Climat and Qupé

 

Au Bon Climat

The AVAs to the south of San Francisco in Santa Barbara County are quite different from the classical Californian regions to the north of the city. Although the first grapes were planted more than two hundred years ago, it's only in the last thirty years or so that serious wine has been made there. The area is cooled significantly by ocean winds and fogs - the nearer to the ocean, the cooler the region. This makes it ideal territory for the Burgundy grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Au Bon Climat's French name (it means "well-exposed vineyard") provides a clue about the style of wine: although these wines are true to California, they are hugely influenced by France and do the most to challenge preconceptions of Californian wine. The wines oscillate between Burgundian and Californian, so it was great to taste the wines back to back and directly compare the different expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (though I was disappointed the incomparable Hildegaard - a unique blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Aligoté - was missing). The Wild Boy Chardonnay remains, despite its ludicrous label, my favourite high-quality affordable Chardonnay, but the two wines which stood out in this tasting were the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Sanford & Benedict vineyard in Santa Rita AVA, the coolest of the area's regions. I'd love to taste these two wines blind alongside some Burgundy.

 

Seghesio

The day brought home to me just how good Zinfandel can be when made well with proper attention and the Zinfandels from Seghesio, based in Sonoma County with vineyards in Anderson and Russian River Valleys, may just have been the best of the show. The 2011 Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel had an exceptional balance of oak and fruit, but I thought the 2011 Rockpile Zinfandel surpassed it for complexity. Rockpile is a new sub-AVA in northern Sonoma; to qualify for the AVA, vineyards must be higher than 800ft, free from the fog that doesn't rise above that level. It was interesting to learn of an AVA independent of, rather than dependent on, the state's famous fog. Unusually, Seghesio also produce wine from two Italian grapes: Arneis, a Piemonte white grape, and Sangiovese, the great Tuscan black grape. I've tasted the Arneis before and it's an excellent wine, though it takes a while to open up. The 2010 Anderson Valley Sangiovese is made from vines that are descended from plantings from the turn of the last century: Prohibition pretty much killed off plantings of the grape, so these vines are unique. The wine's expensive and I'm not sure it compares with Tuscan wines of the same price; at the same time, it was hard to fault. 

Oregon

Adelsheim are one of the oldest wineries in the state and their wines are finally tiptoeing their wine into the UK. The 2012 Willamette Valley Chardonnay is subtle and balanced, especially compared to some of the mammoth Californian Chardonnays I tasted. It's Pinot Noir that they specialise in, though; here I found myself preferring the less expensive wine - the grainy earthiness of the 2011 Willamette Valley over the lighter but more textured 2011 Elizabeth's Reserve.

Adelsheim

Perhaps the best white of the day was the Trisaetum 2012 Ribbon Ridge Riesling. Riesling's a grape which should do very well in Oregon but has never taken off: Pinot Noir dominates and perceptions in the States of Riesling are shaped by sweeter, inexpensive wines from Washington. This Riesling demonstrates exactly what the grape is capable of in Oregon in the right hands. 

Washington

Washington suffers from making wines of all levels of quality from far too many grapes. I also think that high-quality wineries have spent too long targeting the rest of the US market; an obvious target, but one which involves navigating the complex and prohibitive three-tier distribution system. The UK and Northern Europe markets are much more suitable areas for Washington to demonstrate its quality. 

For this reason, I was delighted to see Betz Family Winery at the trade show. One of many wineries unavailable in the UK, I'd wanted to visit them when I was in Seattle last September but they are closed to the public. Speaking to their new owner, Steve Griessel, in London, it was clear he had realised that Northern Europe presents a more profitable and accessible market than other US states (he was off to Sweden the next day). The wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah based, are expensive but worth the price and I'm looking forward to seeing them in the UK. 

Washington red wines at their best can be characterised as being European in style but with fuller fruit flavours, quite different from their Californian equivalents. This is true of the Betz wines and also of one my favourite wineries anywhere, Andrew Will. The 2010 Two Blondes is an exceptional wine, full of fruit flavours but backed up with real structure. 2010 was a cool year and the wine is just 12.8%; drinking well now, it's still got a few years left in it. Two Blondes is a vineyard which winemaker Chris Camarda planted in 2000 and the wines are proving extremely popular. I wonder if they're replacing in importance the wines from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard; still a very good wine, the 2009 didn't have the immediacy of the Two Blondes nor the sophistication of Sorella from the same vintage. Always Cabernet Sauvignon heavy and always serious, the 2009 expression of Sorella is just beginning to open up and has ten to fifteen years left in it at the very least. From the best vineyard for Cabernet in the state (Champoux), if you wonder whether Washington wine can compete with Bordeaux or, for that matter, Napa Valley, then here's your answer.