Petite Sirah
Pronunciation: Puh teet Seer ahWhere it's Grown:
Petite Sirah is actually the grape known as Durif. It was first propagated by Dr. Durif who was a nurseryman. The vine was planted for a time in the regions of southeastern France. It was more or less abandoned in France between the mid-twentieth century and now.
What to expect:
Colors range from nearly pure ruby in the light fruit forward versions, to inky purple in the fully extracted wines. Flavors and palate impressions follow the same sort of scale. Generally, the wines are rich in ripe red fruits, with a supporting cast of blackberry or black plum for richness. Tannin can be very light in the case of a wine made intentionally light, but in most cases is substantial.
Grip of the structure needs to be balanced by red meat in most cases. There is often a note of smoke as well.
