2018 Napa Valley "Palisades Vineyard" Petite Sirah
100% Petite Sirah
On September 26th we received 2.3 tons of some of the most beautiful Petite Sirah I have ever seen. Nothing to do on the sorting table but tell jokes and shoot the breeze! Fully destemmed, the fruit spent 49 days in tank, 5 days cold-soaking, 14 days fermenting, and 30 days macerating to soften the tannin before being pressed to all French oak, 36% new (trust me, you’d never know given this wine’s concentration). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
As usual, black-light purple in color. Opaque. Blackcurrants and blueberries abound in the deep, heady aromas. On the palate, shockingly genteel and sophisticated. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted such a velvety Petite Sirah. The extended maceration worked! Some tannin emerges in the lusty finish but man, this puppy is good to go. Enjoy from release (if you like powerful, fruit-filled wines) through 2035 (if you prefer less fruit and more secondary characteristics). (MRO - 01/15/20)