Who are you favorite Petite Sirah producers?

Peter_C · February 9, 2009, 6:28pm

Petite Sirah was one of my first loves and I’m looking to “rediscover” it.

Ridge is on my radar after having some of their 1975 York Creeks and I’ve heard Turley makes a solid offering.

So who are your favorites?

It’s ok if they’re impenetrable now - I want to drinks some and stuff some away.

TIA!

zachary_l_a_n_g · February 9, 2009, 6:30pm

I am not all that experienced (with Petite syrah ), but at the boston wine expo I had the peachy canyon PS and i thought it was a great value (but you know that since you were there with me).

Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l · February 9, 2009, 6:33pm

Outpost - although DISCLAIMER - I used to work there.

Carver Sutro - Dennis Sutro is a jerk from my limited interactions but his vineyard and his PS are pretty darn good. More of a structured young bdx type of PS.

Ridge

Then in the more fruity/softer type - Switchback Ridge, Foley. Although they both definitely have some tannin and grip that need taming!

Cris_Whetstone · February 9, 2009, 6:39pm

We did a HUGE blind Petit Sirah event here a couple years ago. There were several Outposts in the lineup and I had consistently good notes on all of them.

I’d love to try one of those 70’s Ridge York Creeks sometime.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 9, 2009, 6:53pm

Outpost
Biale
Foley
Neal

No particular order.

Someday I will add Switchback and Carlisle…but have yet to crack one of these yet.

Eric_Anderson · February 9, 2009, 6:55pm

Okay, I’ll say it. None! I don’t get the affection for the wine. Yes, I’ve had Pride, Switchback, Outpost. But, to me it’s monolithic, thick, liquid pie. Yea, pie’s okay, but there’s to ‘there’ there.

M_M_c_C_a_l_l · February 9, 2009, 7:00pm

I don’t drink much Petite, but I had a Turley Hayne PS in their tasting room that was really wild. I still have a bottle, but I can’t imagine what sort of meal would pair well with it!

zachary_l_a_n_g · February 9, 2009, 7:01pm

No love on the board for the Turley PS? I have yet to have one , but have always heard good things

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 9, 2009, 7:01pm

Have had a couple and I reserver judgement as they were way too young.

Bob_Wood · February 9, 2009, 7:05pm

Vincent Arroyo
Stags Leap

Yoni_O_v_a_d_i_a · February 9, 2009, 7:06pm

Biale - Their Royal Punishers Petite Syrah is wonderful.
Outpost.
Ridge.

I haven’t tried too many others.

Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l · February 9, 2009, 7:07pm

The Turley “Hayne” is very good PS. I just can’t see spending $75+ for it when i can get Switchback, Outpost, Carver Sutro, etc. for $50 or less. And I consider them every bit as good.

In fact, the Outpost PS “The Other” fruit comes from Hayne plant material that TRB planted at Outpost on Howell Mtn.

That being said, I am not a huge fan of PS. It is just punishing to drink young. Try doing blending sessions with barrel samples of PS at 10 am…your palate is wrecked.

As for food matching - big steak is perfect. Something richly marbled. I find beef short ribs to be a pretty good match as well.

J_e_r_e_m_y_Hannah · February 9, 2009, 7:08pm

I agree that the varietal shows like this quite often, but one that stands out in my mind as showing some really excellent secondary flavors of tobacco and pepper was Judd’s Hill. One of the few PS that I can say that I really enjoyed.

Cris_Whetstone · February 9, 2009, 7:13pm

I agree with Eric also that the expression is pretty limited, aged or not. One thing I noticed with our huge blind event was that the aged wines didn’t really change much if at all other than the tannins relaxing a slight amount and the fleshiness fading some. I’m convinced its best used in more traditionally styled zins to give them some back bone for aging. I think that is why a lot of the older field blend style zins age well as it helps to give the zin time to mature. Ridge Geyserville is a prime modern day example.

Jason_Hagen · February 9, 2009, 7:32pm

Sean Thackrey! The Orion is an outrageous wine.

Jason

markjahnke · February 9, 2009, 7:36pm

Wow, no love for Carlisle either…

Want a giant fruit bomb of a petite, give Tobin James a whirl… -mJ

CFu · February 9, 2009, 7:54pm

there are people who will fight you to the death for saying PS doesn’t age. But I completely agree with you, nothing gets added to the wine after age just the tannins aren’t as mouth gripping.

ToddFrench · February 9, 2009, 8:07pm

Giant Fruit Bomb IS Tobin James! All their wines are amazingly huge, extracted, sweet, and super high ABV. It’s a niche, I suppose…

John_Davis · February 9, 2009, 8:18pm

Not the biggest fan of PS but the two I do buy every year are Outpost and Turley.

John

Peter_C · February 9, 2009, 8:25pm

I dunno, I would disagree on aged Petites.

Maybe not all PS can age, but the 75 Ridge PSs I’ve drank were much more along the lines of an aged bdx than PS. In this case (or the 3 times I’ve had it) the wine was elegant.