HePtetS

My good friend Sonadora tries the Seven Artisans PS. Sadly, she didn't wait for me. It's ok, though -- I get to raid her cellar on PSaturday :-)

PSnooth

Gregory Dal Piaz at Snooth had some tasting notes and recommendations for PS a few months ago.

Correctly describing it as "California's Unsung Hero", he offered notes and reviews for 4 grouPS -- Budget, PaSo Robles, Lodi, and Napa, his favorite being the Mettler 2005 that I enjoyed about 6 months PreviouSly.

He also offered some of those for sale, along with others (and more tasting notes) in an accompanying article.

More RounduPS

A nice article on one of my favorite surPriSes from PSILY 2009, Miro Cellars PS.

A review of some of Judd's Hill's wines, including their PS.

The $25 2006 Clayhouse PaSo Robles PS beats the $139 Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne and wins best wine in a blind tasting.

Jo Diaz queried the PSILY members to find out how they typically do in competitions, and it's pretty imPreSsive.

Perfectly Satisfying

So much is going on outside of my wine life that I don't even know where to start. After a long night at work, I wanted something simple, refreshing, and easy.

I got a bottle of the Dry Creek Vineyard 2008 "Petite Zin" Rose (Sonoma County) as a sample from Dry Creek Vineyard's wine club. I requested a bottle from Kim Stare Wallace after seeing it on their website, where it retails for $18. While perhaPS above the median price for a rose, this one is worth the price; it is distinctive and offers flavors that other roses don't.

This wine is 80% Zin, but the 20% PS really PuncheS above its weight. The grapes are from Sonoma County, and it's 13.9% ABV. It was harvested on 9/11/2008, and fermented for 30 days at 52 degrees Fahrenheit, then aged 2 months in French oak. The wine is classified as Dry, and has a pH of 3.57 (I'm not sure where it fits in dry roses, but it's a pretty typical pH for a "dry red" that's not spoofulated) and a TA of 0.67 (no units given). 384 cases were made, and Dry Creek Vineyard says that it can age 3-5 years (which, again, probably derives from the PS)

It's rounder and fuller-bodied than many roses. The color is dark -- even darker than the picture. It's very dark for a rose, just a few shades lighter than some beaujolais and pinot. Again, credit the PS.

Aged 2 months in French Oak, it reveals some creamyness and spice, underlying the dark fruits that PS is known for. It's very refreshing to find pepper and blackberries, and black cherries in a rose -- most of the ones I've had, regardless of varietal or blend, seem to stop at cherry limeade. This one goes darker, and deliciously so, but has that lime-like tingle lingering on the tongue and the finish.

This would pair nicely with a variety of dishes, including salmon, PeSto-based PaStas, and chicken dishes without too many strong flavors -- though southwestern would be a great pairing.

I haven't had too many PS roses (the Bella Vista/Cilurzo in April was sweeter than I expected, and I have a 2005 "off-label" from David Fulton, my "unicorn", that I'm looking forward to trying this month; Bogle apparently makes one from time to time, but I haven't been able to try it), but this is highly, highly recommended for all PS fans.

As I've come to expect from their wines in general, Dry Creek Vineyard's Petite Zin is a very well-crafted, well-balanced wine that nevertheless PreSents a nice value and unusual flavors and tasting notes. Seek this one out if you have a chance -- a rose this full-bodied is quite an experience, and the creamy key lime pie finish is really refreshing after a long, hot, humid, day.

ExPloSive growth in the Pacific northweSt

It's not just Masset anymore. PS is becoming more popular in the Evergreen state, and even Oregon. Here's a roundup.

• Andy Purdue, proprietor of Wine Press Northwest, who admits that he has "a thing for Petite Sirah", PlanS on planting some PS in his "humble backyard vineyard," but probably won't get to it this year. While you wait, tide yourself over with his recipe for PSorbet.
  
• Andy Purdue's blurb from about a year ago on Arbor Crest and Thurston Wolfe PS
• Andy Purdue's tasting notes on the 2006 Thurston Wolfe Zephyr Hills PS and the Spangler PS from Oregon
  
• Seattle Times writer Paul Gregutt on PS in general, and also has more on Arbor Crest's PS
• Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe on harvesting PS (and Touriga Nacional)
  

PSymPoSium

PSILY has PoSted the sPecificS for the Petite Sirah (P)Symposium, which will be held this year at Concannon Vineyard's new tasting room, at 4596 Tesla Road, Livermore, CA, on Tuesday August 4, 2009. For all the fun, go to http://www.petitesirahsymposium.com .

I will do my best to be there for this fantastic event, work permitting, but with job and my living situation currently in flux for the month of August, I can't promise anything.

Again, whereas Dark & Delicious is consumer-oriented, the PSymPoSium is oriented to the wineries. It features sessions on Enology, Viticulture, and Marketing, and ends with a trade and media tasting.

Jo Diaz has more details about it on her own site.

Speaking of Concannon's new tasting room, here's a pic of its progress that I took on April 16th, 2009:

48 hours with Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah 2002

2002 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/17/2009)I've tasted this bottle several times, most recently at the Winemaker Dinner on May 1. The bottles from my cellar seemed much more acidic and out of balance than the bottle from the winery. When I open a bottle of VA at home it rarely lasts a full hour, and I typically just pop & pour. The bottle at the winery had been opened several hours earlier and was more balanced than what I remember. I decided to do an experiment with this wine to see if I might be prematurely judging this wine. I opened the bottle at 6:00 PM Friday and gave it a whirl.

Friday

• 6:00 PM- It was just as I remembered it previously- tight and acidic with muted fruit.
• 8:00 PM- The acids had diminished a bit and the fruit was starting to show. This drank similar to the bottle from the winery. Still not wonderful, but promising. I’ll stick the cork in the bottle and leave it on the counter overnight.

Saturday

• 10:30 AM- I need to keep the experiment going. The nose was much more balanced; the acidic edge is gone. Much more rounded on the palate, the fruit is coming out and the acids have further integrated. The wine is improving, but still has a bit of a medicinal finish.
• 7:00 PM- The wine has definitely softened, but the acids are still prevalent on the back end- still somewhat medicinal. The fruit is still there, but it might be fading a bit. I’ll pump it overnight.

Sunday

• 6:00 PM- The bottle has been opened for 48 hours; time to see if it’s falling apart. The color hasn’t changed; the nose offers feint traces of black cherry. There’s still plenty of fruit on the palate, but the tannins have diminished and the mid palate is a little hollow. There’s still plenty of acid, which still gives the wine a nice long finish. The medicinal notes on the acids have all but disappeared. I can detect a little oxidation on the wine; the experiment needs to end today.

My analysis is that this wine will improve with additional bottle ageing; I would guess 2- 3 years. It should drink well through 2015; the fruit is holding up. (90 pts.)

Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Barrel Sample Tasting Notes

The following wines were tasted on May 1, 2009 from the barrel at the winery:

2006 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Winemaker's Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2009)Barrel tasted at the Winery. Deep dark inky purple color with a nose of blueberries and blackberries. Big soft mouthfeel; a full bodied wine. The tannins are still chewy but will soften with time. Adequate acids to keep the wine lively and vivid. The wine is begining to show complexity and delivers a beautiful long finish. The wine should come into balance nicely with time, but will likely still have rough edges when released in the fall of 2009. My guess is that 2 to 3 years of bottle age will allow this wine to begin showing quite well. (91 pts.)

2007 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Greenwood Ranch - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2009)Tasted from a barrell sample at the winery. With a medium red color, the nose was somewhat closed but hints of black cherry prevailed. The wine is currently medium bodied and disjointed. Bright red fruit leads to a medium finish. The score reflects it's current condition, not it's potential. This wine will likely turn lovely with time, but needs about 5 years of ageing after release for the components to integrate. Suggested drinking window 2013-2019. (90 pts.)

2007 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Rattlesnake Acres - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2009)Tasted from a barrel sample at the winery. The color is dark and brooding; the nose is full of vibrant blueberries. The wine has a soft silky mouthfeel, is big and brawny, and full bodied. Rich black fruit flavors lead to a long finish. Beautifully balanced, this is a powerful wine that's not a fruit bomb. This wine will likely still be quite rugged upon release in the fall of 2009, but within 2 to 3 years should soften to yield a luxurious cuvee. Time should significantly add to the complexity of this wine. Suggested drinking window is 2011- 2020. (94 pts.)

2007 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2009)Tasting from a barrel sample. Beautiful dark red color (almost black) with nose of blueberries and violets. Big mouthfeel with already supple sweet tannins. Acids are in balance and alcohol seems around 14% (but I didn't inquire). This will be a beautiful finished bottle of wine when released in the fall of 2009. Although it can be consumed young, it will benefit subsatntially from an additional 5 years of ageing. (93 pts.)

Out of this lot I thought the best QPR wine was the regular Petite Sirah- a great wine for the $$.

TraiPSing

In her post today, my friend Sonadora talks about her visit to Teldeschi in Dry Creek Valley to get more of their 1998 PS. She and I had their 1998 on election night and enjoyed it; I did not particularly like the 1999 I had at some point in the fall.

10^3 words

The Patriarch himself, Mr. James Concannon, with me in the barrel room at Concannon Vineyards in Livermore, CA.

Getting the chance to speak with Mr. Concannon again, this time at more length, and to have him show me around the winery was truly exceptional. He's not only instrumental in making PS what it is today, but is also a great conversationalist with some really fascinating stories. His generosity is PeerleSs.

I can't wait to go back in August!

(More on the trip later...)

V-I-PS

I'm out in Cali to be the best man at my college roommate's wedding (Congrats, Byron and Jo!), and found a few hours to head to Livermore yesterday before my Best Manly duties began.

I had the most wonderful visit at Concannon, including lots of time with THE PATRIARCH, Jim Concannon. I felt like Royalty there. More on the visit, including lots of PicS and tasting notes, coming next week.

I also stopped in at Wente (where the only PS they make is a PS port), and sampled a selection of their wines as well, which I really enjoyed.

Many thanks to the irreplaceable Jo Diaz for hooking me up!

Now, to finish that speech...

WBW #56 -- Fine Kosher Wine

Our host for Wineblogging Wednesday this month is CorkDork, who picked "fine kosher wines" as the theme.

Glad that I finally found a theme that fit the blog again, I decided to participate, and ordered the 2005 Carmel Winery Appellation Petite Sirah Judean Hills (previous vintage pictured at left). I bought it at kosherwine.com for about $22, but they've since sold out (unspecified vintage currently available at their competitor for $22.69).

The wine was 14.5% ABV, and breathed in-bottle for about 3 hours. I drank it with leftover (cold) prime rib (seasoned with salt & pepper only) and sauteed spinach with black pepper, balsamic vinegar, and shiitake mushrooms. I consumed the wine from Spigelau Syrah glasses from this year's Dark and Delicious event (thanks again, Jo!). My friend Dan drank along with me.

Two things were immediately noticeable about this wine. First, there was not even a hint of heat (to which Dan is very sensitive -- he dislikes many CaliCabs for that reason), and this was much closer to medium-bodied than full-bodied. In the glass it was a dark, impenetrable purple at the center, shading to a translucent red-purple at the edge. There was no noticeable bricking.

On the first glass, the nose was still somewhat tight (suggesting I should have given a full decant or let breathe longer), but revealed an exceedingly PleaSant dominant scent of tart blackberry reduction, along with leather, flowers, and hints of smoked meat. The palate confirmed the tightness, and surPriSed with abundant, though well-balanced, acidity. This is definitely a food PS. The flavor profile was slightly different, featuring black currant and blackberry as well, and no flower PetalS. The wine had the signature long, charmingly austere, finish that I've come to expect from Israeli PS.

The second glass was much more open, and the finish was even longer. Even as it opened, it did not become more full-bodied. The one negative on this wine was that it was not as tannic as I would like -- this is a PS that PairS with more delicate meats, and not the biggest, gamiest cuts you can find.

On the third glass, the nose was absolutely incredible, to the point that I wished I could bottle it as cologne (or perhaPS PerfumeS for the ladies), and the wine had oxygenated enough that it was quite pleasant, further revealing hints of black pepper and spice on both the nose and palate.

In sum, I'd give the wine a 90, and recommend trying it if you come across it. It is very enjoyable, true to character but for the relative (and I say "relative" just because I expect more from PS) lack of tannin, and shows the traits common with other Judean Hills PS (the long, austere finish, high acidity, dark berries) with that I've had. I plan on keeping a bottle or two around.

At under $25, this is a delightful kosher wine that will pair with a wide variety of dishes due to it's just-fuller-than-medium body, soft tannins, and vibrant acidity. I would recommend, in particular, duck breast, Jewish (i.e., brisket) pot roast, filet mignon, and beef roasts, and would go nicely with dark chocolate. At that price, it's a welcome addition to many holiday meals without breaking the bank, and has enough bang for the buck to hold its own at other times. This is something I plan on buying again.

(compare Rogov's review here).

Wine Library PimpS PS

The subject of today's Wine Library Daily Offering is the 2005 Peachy Canyon PaSo Robles PS, which Gary Vaynerchuk rated at 90 points, at $17. Here's his take:

"I have tasted 38 Petite Sirahs in 2009 for placement in Wine Library and have passed on all but 2 and the other one is $36 so you can imagine how highly I rate this epic effort!

"This is what I had to say when I tried the wine: 'Huge and mad' is exactly what I wrote down. And you know what? It didn't calm down after 5 hours being opened either. This is one serious mofo and it doesn't apologize on its long and rugged finish. The light black fruit mixed with the pretty floral and fleshy mid-palate along with its epic finish make this the Petite Sirrah [sic] to beat here at Wine Library. If you are a fan of the PS grape then you need to get this into your rotation asap!

The offer also links to Episode 609, which GV dedicated to Yours Truly for his 28th birthday.

Around the Web

Here's some news on PS from around the web

• WineFoot tries -- and likes! -- the 2005 Concannon Limited Release
• Carl Doumani's 1974 Stags' Leap Winery PS is still alive and kicking
• Texans recommend PS with Jimmy Dean sausage
• If I'm ever in San Diego, I have to make it over to Kensington Vine, a wine bar where they love PS
• Pantheon Cellars' Panthos has a nice picture on its blog of its PS at bud break.
  

Wineblogging Wednesday does PaSsover!

CorkDork has announced the theme for the latest wineblogging wednesday, and it is Kosher wine! While many of the fine PS from Israel are not kosher, others are. I'll be having a bottle of Carmel's Regional series PS (and maybe another kosher wine, and possibly another PS) for the online shindig.

Here's Rogov's latest note on this wine:

Carmel, Regional, Petite Sirah, Judean Hills, 2005: Developed in French oak for 12 months, made from grapes from 35-year-old vines, this almost impenetrably dark purple, still-firmly tannic wine opens in the glass to reveal a rich array of dark plum, blueberry, peppery, herbal and spicy cedar notes. Dense enough to be thought of as chewable but opens to show harmony and grace. Drink now–2012. Score 91. K

By the way, avoid the execrable Gedeon Petite Sirah like it could give you the plague (as it just might...) It's that bad.

A PocalypS Now? (aka "A Diamond in the Rough?")

The ubiquitous Francis Ford Coppola "Diamond Series" has added a new member -- the Plum Label (of course!) Petite Sirah, which is available directly for them for $20. I haven't been hugely imPreSsed with most of the diamond series wines (I've liked the Malbec and the Shiraz, haven't liked the Claret in recent vintages, and haven't tried the Zin, Merlot, PN, or straight Cab). Given the price for an "entry-level" PS, I don't know whether this is a good value, especially given the other very solid to good PS that are available for cheaper (Concannon, Foppiano, Peachy Canyon 05, Bogle 06)

Winemaker’s Notes (fact sheet .pdf)
My grandfather, John Rolleri, was a Napa Valley grape grower back when the California wine industry was just gaining notoriety. His favorite grape was Petite Sirah, and because it had been a passion of his, I, too, developed a fondness for the varietal. Once I became a winemaker, I sought out prime Petite Sirah vineyards, and started experimenting with different winemaking techniques for this grape variety. After all these years of working with Petite Sirah, I’m proud to include this wine in our Diamond Collection. I hope that more wine drinkers can experience this wonderful varietal. [HELL YES! -- Loweeel]
The fruit for this wine is grown in diverse regions throughout California. Immense color saturation and intense aromas of sweet, juicy boysenberries set the stage for a wine loaded with lush, jammy fruit, and long, lingering flavors of plums, blackberries, sage and a hint of smoke. Pairs perfectly with lamb chops, brisket, or creamy mushroom soup.

Tasting Profile
Appearance: Deep purple
Aromas: Crushed berries, sage, and smoke
Flavors: Black plums, currants, and vanilla
Appellation: California
Blend: 100% Petite Sirah
Alcohol: 13.44%
Total Acid: .57
pH: 3.73
Barrel Regimen: 16 months in French oak
Released: March 2009
Suggested Retail $19.00 [ironic, given that they charge $20 for it! -- L]

I've also discovered that FFC also makes a port-style PS in its Reserve (highest-end) series, sourced entirely from Ruby's Vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley ($30, available from FFC -- they don't list the bottle size, but CellarTracker has it at 500ml).

The Varietal (fact sheet .pdf)

Petite Sirah is a powerhouse red grape that makes dark, inky wines that are peppery, heavy on the tannin and chock full of delicious blackberry flavors. Because of its heady nature, this varietal is ideal for producing a Port-style wine, which is produced by stopping fermentation while there is still sugar left in the wine and then adding grape brandy to the tank. The resulting wine becomes higher in alcohol, as you may well imagine, and well suited for aging. Ports made from Petite Sirah typically offer juicy flavors of baked blackberry pie, sugared plums and sweet black cherries as well as notes of dark chocolate and seasoned wood.

The Wine
Our Petite Sirah is grown in Dry Creek Valley. This appellation has a diversity of microclimates and soil variations, which enables it to accommodate many different grape varietals. Petite Sirah ripens beautifully in the warm northern section of the region and gathers much complexity due to the soil composition. After harvest, our grapes are placed in special tanks. When about half of the natural sugar in the grapes has been converted to alcohol, clear grape spirit is added to the wine, which causes the yeasts in the wine to die off. This effectively causes fermentation to cease, thereby creating a sweet wine. The port is then placed in small oak barrels for an extended cellaring period in order to subdue the tannin and heighten the flavor complexity.

Food and Wine Parings
Pair our Petite Sirah Port with chocolate or toffee desserts, hard or bleu cheeses, and toasted nuts for a decadent after dinner treat.

Blend: 100% Petite Sirah
Aged: 24 months in 50% new French oak barrels, 50% 1-2 year old barrels.
Alcohol: 17.5%

CUT. And that's a wrap.

More On PS Not PaSsing Its Prime

Via CellarTracker, here's another old Petite Sirah tasting. Most of the wines came through with flying colors. For scores, notes, and pictures, click on over, but here are the wines that they tasted and a bit about them:

• 1975 Burgess, Napa Valley (13%) (91-95/100, Connoisseurs' Guide). We've tried this a couple times over the past 5 years or so, and the wine has developed a wonderfully fragrant nose of black cherries, vanilla and cream. Rich, lush, and layered in the mouth, it has shown no signs of reaching the end of its peak, even after 25 years
• 1975 Caymus, Napa Valley (13.0%): The only Petite Caymus every made. Ink grade and seemingly ageless.
• 1977 Ridge "York Creek", Napa Valley (5% Zinfandel, 13.6%): One of the all-time classic vintages from Ridge. In the same spirit as Ridge using a bit of Petite Sirah in many of their Zins to add complexity, so have they added a bit of Zin to this Petite to good effect. Ridge captures the minerally, spicy side of the York Creek Vineyard while Freemark Abbey features more the powerful fruit.
• 1977 Burgess, Napa Valley (13.5%) (87-90/100, Connoisseurs' Guide) As this wine passes its 30th birthday, it has become a lovely, elegant wine, more reminiscent of an old Cote Rotie than a brawy Petite Sirah.
• 1977 Mount Veeder "Niebaum-Coppola Vineyards", Napa Valley (13.5%): Mount Veeder's only Petite Sirah. Almost black purple. Black cherries and eucalyptus.
• 1978 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Napa Valley (13.2%): Warren Winiarski is best known for his great Cabernets from the Stag's Leap region, including the 1973 which won the famed Stephen Spurrier Bordeaux-California Cabernet tasting in 1976. However, from 1978 through 1980, he experimented with Petite Sirah and produced a style different from most Petites from his contemporaries.
• 1978 Stag's Leap Vineyards (13%): While Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is known for its Cabernets, Stag's Leap Vineyards [later Stags' Leap Winery] has always led with Petite Syrah. Their Petites from the 1970s are the benchmarks by which other Petites were measured, and this 1978 was one of his very best.
• 1980 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, North Coast (13.2%): This was Warren Winiarski's last Petite.

I planned to open an old bottle myself last night, a 1977 Parducci PS (North Coast), but it was completely vinegarized. In fact, it looked like somebody had opened the bottle previously, and re-glued the (wax-ish, not tin) capsule head back to the top of the cork after recorking. My first completely spoiled (and possibly deceitfully-listed) bottle from WineBid. C'est la vie.

Patrick'S

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Jo Diaz offers her recipe for Corned Beef with PS Glaze.

Are You PSycho about PS?

If so, then you might want to keep Tuesday, August 4, 2009 open, especially if you can get to Livermore, CA.
Why?
Well, it's the 7th Annual Petite Sirah Symposium, at Concannon Vineyards, the birthplace of varietal-labeled PS.
Didn't we just have Dark & Delicious?
Yes, but that's a totally different event.
How so?
Well, D&D is consumer-centric. The focus is on tasting wine, eating food, and having purple teeth. You're in and out in a few hours, and it's like a whirlwind of tannins.
And PSS?
Is not just tasting and schmoozing -- it's more academic. It is a gathering of Winemakers, Growers, and ProducerS. Here's more from Jo Diaz:

Each year, on behalf of Petite Sirah, this event gathers the best and the brightest Petite Sirah growers, winemakers, and producers. Topics traditionally include aspects of wine growing, wine making, and the marketing of Petite Sirah. Because this year’s event is going to be held at a much larger venue, the program has been expanded to include a media PS tasting after lunch in Concannon’s new barrel room. The Symposium is still going strong as it approaches its seventh year of fostering the best expression of this noble variety.

The day will include lunch, prior to the afternoon media event. This informal gathering of wine principles is also a highlight of the day, as growers and producers explore each others’ Petite Sirahs.

For all of you wine writers, bloggers, or trade people who want to explore the depths of PS out there, you’ll have about 40 winemakers all pouring their Petites for you, and another 40 wine growers, all available to talk with you about their passion… Petite Sirah. This is one event you don’t want to miss. Just let me know that you’re interested, and I’ll send you more details.

Will you be there?
Um... I'll do my best. Mid-week trips to California aren't the easiest for me, but I'll see what I can do. :-)

RounduPS

• Petite Sirah was Slashfood's wine of the week on 2/22/09, as demonstrated by a varietally correct (though unremarkable) and dirt cheap Crane Lake.
  
  
• Richard Nalley at Forbes PoSts his notes on the 2004 Quixote PS and ProvideS some history on its place as one of California's "Native" GraPeS
  
  
• Gabe at Gabesview tastes the 2006 Locatelli PS from PaSo Robles, and admits that he doesn't drink enough PS.
  
  
• Eric Hwang at Bricksofwine blind-tastes a nice spread of PS, featuring 5 from Ridge, a Foppiano, and a JC Cellars by Jeff Cohn. Last month, he had a pretty imPreSsive guys' night, featuring a 2001 Sean Thackrey Sirius, 2003 Switchback Ridge, and 2004 Scholium Project Babylon Tenbrink Vineyards.
  
  
• And of course, Karen Ahlborn's wrapup of D&D 2009.
  

(Sorry about the lack of PoSting -- I got sick with something I caught on the airplane on the way home from Cali about 10 days ago, so I haven't been drinking much or had a ton of free time to PoSt. There's plenty to come).

"Mr. Brecher, (and Ms. Gaiter), Open That Bottle!"

John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter of the Wall Street Journal are my favorite "old media" wine journalists. They write in an open and engaging manner, aren't preachy, and often relate their long journey through the world of wine. On top of it, they're married to each other, and it's heartwarming to see family anecdotes and informative to see where their palates differ.

One of their creations is something called "Open That Bottle" Night, on which they encourage us to open a bottle of wine that we've been hoarding or saving for a special occasion. They are of the opinion (and it's true at least for me!) that people typically hold onto "special bottles" for too long, because there are too many special bottles and not enough special occasions. So, now there's one more, one guaranteed to come every year.

Why am I PoSting about this? Well, they also posted their 4 candidate bottles, along with why it's a potential. The one that's WAY in last place (we should be used to getting no respect!) is of interest to us -- 1994 Royal Escort Petite Sirah Port, from Prager Winery and Port Works! So go vote for it -- all 12 or so of you who read this. Here's why they picked it:

During one of our first visits to Napa and Sonoma, we stopped by Prager in St. Helena. We thought we'd dropped into Santa's workshop because standing before us, in a room chock-full of interesting memorabilia and doodads, was a white-haired man who seemed to be straight from central casting. That's how we met Jim Prager and, man, did he like to talk. We spent what seemed like the whole afternoon with him and left with way too many bottles. On another visit years later, we again purchased too much and asked Mr. Prager to sign a few bottles, which he merrily did. This is the last bottle from that lot -- and it's signed in gold ink by Mr. Prager. Yep, we know real Port comes from Portugal, but every time we see this bottle, we smile at the memory of our introduction to Jim. His children run the place now. Peter Prager, one of Jim's sons, says his dad retired when they changed the tasting room cash register to a computer -- he took one look at it and said, "I retire." Still, Prager remains a marvelous quirky stop in Napa and we know that many people have the same warm memories of it that we do.

Even beyond PS, I'm interested in their imPreSsions of this bottle, because I have 2 375 ml bottles of the 2004, 3 750s of the 1998, and 2 750s of the 1984, mostly thanks to my winebid addiction. I've also had their NV PS Port, and 2 bottles of their 1991 LBV Royal Escort PS Port.

Prager isn't limited to port, though -- their only dry wine is a PS (current vintage is 2004, from Imogene's Vineyard in the town of Calistoga, but bears the St. Helena appellation on the label). They also make, depending on the year, three different ports (fortified dessert wines) from PS -- the constant being their non-vintage PS Port (currently from Lodi fruit). They also make, from time-to-time in selected vintages, a true Vintage port and an LBV port, (though somewhat confusingly, both are currently called "Royal Escort") out of the "Paladini" Vineyard that they own in the Napa Valley AVA.

The PaSt is Prelude

Whew. Dark and Delicious was flat-out AMAZING (even outweighing the backlog from spending 2 days out of the office). As I have more time, I'll be more specific (including PoSting some abbreviated tasting notes and other imPreSsions from D&D and the other tastings that weekend, which included Vincent Arroyo's 2007 Barrel SamPleS).

• On top of the fantastic wine and delicious food, it was great to spend my time there with other wine.wooters -- especially Cat, "Sparky", and "Tenuki". From meeting up beforehand and traveling over together, to walking around as a (very) loose group at D&D, our afterparty (with a very special 44-year old guest) back at the Oakland Holiday Inn, and the travels over the weekend, it was a blast. Good friends, both new and old, make experiencing wine exponentially better.
  
  
• Special thanks to "Winedavid39" and his wife "winefarm", the people behind wine.woot who make the community what it is, for attending D&D and the after party, and for supplying some samPleS of your own. You are, and always will be, my favorite dealers of the best gateway drug -- insane QPR wine of any variety.
  
  
• I got to meet Jo Diaz and much of her family, and it was heartwarming to see other people so enthusiastic about PS. I'll never be able to thank her enough for supporting my habit, taking so much time to deal with me and my PS-obsession online and in-PerSon at D&D, and all her efforts on behalf of PS and its chamPionS.
  
  
• The wines at D&D were fabulous. I didn't get to taste them all (only about 60%, I'd estimate, because I was busy chatting with the winemakers/sales reps), and that's even when I specifically avoided wines that I'd tasted in the last month or 2 (e.g., the yummy 2005 Mettler PS). I'll post my abbreviated notes, along with what were, to me, some of the biggest surPriSes, during the next week or so.
  
  
• The conversations were also great. I had a lovely, incredibly flattering, 20-min conversation with the first among PatriarchS himself, Jim Concannon. He was almost as excited that I have a blog devoted to PS as I was to be speaking with him! I also ran into Dick Keenan of Kick Ranch, which my friend Megan loves to call "Kick-ASS Ranch", and had a nice chat with him, as well. The surprise there was that we have some unexpected mutual acquaintances in the legal field.
  
  
• Then there was the after-party, with a wide array of high-end PS.
  
  
• And of course, the winery visits. Those of interest to this blog are Vincent Arroyo for barrel samPleS, Corison (I'll explain later... this story is too good!), David Fulton (another great story there), Field Stone, and Seghesio and Rosenblum in Healdsburg.
  

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you Tomorrow, You're Only a Day Away...

In preparation for Dark & Delicious, I'm trying to focus on articles that will help us prepare to wrap our minds and palates around the scope of PS, to develop an appreciation of its differences and similiarities (roundness in the mouth, and hopefully some face-smashing tannins!).

And another on the scope of PS with some stats. In the most recent Quarterly Review of Wines (link at PSILY currently broken), Richard Paul Hinkle provides some nice stats on PS before providing some tasting notes (which I will only summarize, for copyright reasons).

First, the stats. PSILY must be doing a great job, as Hinkle observes, because PS, once a 14,000-acre workhorse, had dwindled to a disgracefully low 1400 acres in 1990. A little more than a decade later, and it had nearly tripled to just over 4000 acres. Fast forward another 4 years, and California was back past 6000 acres, and we'll be over 7000 by the end of 2009. A decent recovery, to be sure, but we have a ways to go!

Similarly, Hinkle notes that in 2003, only 65 American wineries produced PS. Today, we're up to (are you ready for this?) 448. That's just AWESOME. (Good job, Jo!)

In terms of the wines, Hinkle likes 2 that I'm a big fan of -- the Concannon Limited Release '05 (black currant, bacon, duck fat, oak, fruit-forward), and Parducci True Grit '05 (I enjoyed the '04, but this one is black pepper, pomegranate, tannin, dark chocolate, brusque). He also likes the standard RRV Foppiano 2005 ("all black fruit all the time" -- black currant, blackberry, pomegranate, blueberry, supple and alluring, agile and sophisticated), EOS's standard Paso Robles '05 (blustery, leather, plum, raspberry, soft black pepper), and the Twisted Oak Calaveras County '05 ("fluid, cigar box, fruit from cranberry to blackberry and cola").

And on that note... I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'm not hard to spot -- I'll have a gigantic blue-toothed smile to complement my red hair. Come say hi!

2 Days Left...

In preparation for Dark & Delicious, I'm trying to focus on articles that will help us prepare to wrap our minds and palates around the scope of PS, to develop an appreciation of its differences and similiarities (roundness in the mouth, and hopefully some face-smashing tannins!).

With just 2 short days remaining until Dark & Delicious 2009, let's get back on track with the American theme and the scope of PS. Here's a bit more about Washington State PS, including one from the Wahluke Slope Appellation north of Yakima Valley.

And another favorite of mine, inquiring whether PS is PoiSed to be the next value red. (Short answer = yes)

As for me, I had some PS of my own last night -- the 1996 Signoriello (Napa Valley), entirely unfiltered, made from 110-year old vines. I saw no signs of leakage or seepage. In the glass the wine was a translucent but impenetrable midnight purple, with a thin ruby-purple rim at the top of the glass. Surprisingly, there was very little sediment anywhere, just a bit at the bottom of the bottle. The wine, as one might expect from an adolescent PS, was a bit muted, but what I did taste was lovely -- black cherry/blackberry reduction, late-swarming velvety tannins, a bit of brett, some cedar, and a decently long finish. Plenty of acidity makes this a lithe, well-balanced, food-friendly PS, one that will last close to another decade with proper cellaring. Luckily, I do have that one last bottle...

3 Days Left...

In preparation for Dark & Delicious, I'm trying to focus on articles that will help us prepare to wrap our minds and palates around the scope of PS, to develop an appreciation of its differences and similiarities (roundness in the mouth, and hopefully some face-smashing tannins!).

Having spent the last 3 days discussing the good old U. S. of A. (with that little detour to Baja), we're taking a vacation to Israel.

Courtesy of my friend Avi at HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog comes some interesting statistical information on Israeli viticulture.

Apparently, PS is considered a "main variety" of grape in Israel, though it is certainly smaller than many of the others. 2% of the total grape acreage planted is PS; similarly, PS is 2% of the total harvest by weight -- not bad for such a small grape!

Israel has more PS planted and harvested than it has gamay, malbec, zinfandel (take that, Zinfidels!), grenache, tempranillo, barbera, sangiovese, or nebbiolo.

3 of Hugh Johnson's 10 highest-ranked wineries in Israel use PS in some capacity: Margalit as a non-trivial blending agent in their Special Reserve Cabernet, while Ella Valley and Carmel make it as a stand-alone varietal.

Keep ImPreSsing us with your wines, Israel!