WTN: Rosenblum and ribs for July 4th

It's July 4th, American Independence Day, and as a toast to my American friends, I opened the gorgeous Rosenblum Appellation Series 'Heritage Clones' Petite Sirah 2005 from San Francisco Bay in California, USA, for dinner. I have to thank John Fiola, a Boston wine lover, for the gift of this wine as it is definitely not commercially available in my part of the world.

In the glass the wine is a deeply intense purple red - opaque except for the bright ruby/garnet edges. Savoury aromatics, meaty yet floral and, having no idea as to what Petite Sirah is meant to taste like, it was quite Cabernet-like, to me, on the first taste. However with its aromatic lift I was heading towards C. Franc rather than C. Sauvignon but with its saturated colour, the gorgeous violet florals and the meaty richness, it is also a little reminiscent of Malbec although it lacks the earthiness of that varietal .... or does it? Even so, it is savoury and complex with a blackberry and black cherry fruit sweetness and chocolatey notes that emerge on the nose and in the palate. The tannins are rich and firm yet velvety and plush and with our first food match of pork spare ribs, a spiciness was released in the wine. It becomes more meaty and more savoury with every mouthful and pepper and exotic spices linger on the lasting finish. All the time the aroma becomes more beautiful and mesmerising. My rating - de-lish-ious - or is that (in my accent) de-lush-us! I can totally understand why 'PS I love you' has become a catch phrase with this style of Petite Sirah.

For the food matching I repelled the urge to make everything simple and instead of picking up a bucket of KFC or stopping at McDonalds Drive Thru on the way home, I was inspired by our first 'real American meal' in the USA. That was at a cowboy restaurant where we ate juicy spare ribs after donning a catch-all apron-like bib. So we had juicy pork spare ribs for the first course, a big juicy steak (a 'porterhouse blue' that had a spinach and blue cheese stuffing) served alongside a potato and corn salad for the main course and a chocolate pecan pudding for dessert. Excellent with the ribs and steak but didn't really work at all with the dessert.

The label on the wine states 14.4% alcohol and doesn't mention oak regime at all. No idea of the price.

Sue Courtney

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the report Sue. I have been a big fan of Petite Sirah, as it seems to carry its alcohol better than a corresponding Zinfandel. They are almost inevitably rather brawny, and most can age for a very long time.

I'm doing burgers tonight, but having New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (as the 1st wine - California Rosé later), so we did sort of a trade on drinking local.

It is interesting to hear a report with no "history" or "track record" to base your results on. I have been a fan of Petite Sirah for a number of years and really enjoy it with a bit of age. On occasion I have pulled a PS from the cellar to share with the other two Noland brothers and it is alway fascinating to hear there reactions as they try to guess what kind of wine, what vintage, etc. they are drinking. As you indicated, it is hard to pin down.

I, too, really enjoy Petite Sirah. Your impressions are pretty much what I get from them too, Sue. Yum!

Hi Sue,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Rosenblum Petite Syrah.
In relative terms, there are only a few producers in the US who make Petite Syrah, but those who do so are very passionate about it. Petite Syrah to me seems more of an 'American' thing than Zinfandel. I haven't found a Petite Syrah that I haven't liked.

Happy 4th.

Hi Sue,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Rosenblum Petite Syrah.
In relative terms, there are only a few producers in the US who make Petite Syrah, but those who do so are very passionate about it. Petite Syrah to me seems more of an 'American' thing than Zinfandel. I haven't found a Petite Syrah that I haven't liked.

Happy 4th.

John, I notice that you spell petite syrah, and I am wondering if Sue is talking about petite sirah. I just opened and dumped a bottle of Verget petite syrah.(spelled on the label as you spelled it here) It just seemed to me to be a poor wine. it wasn't corked, nor was there any discernible faults, it just seemed to me to be a wine that had been stripped of any flavor(s) the grape might have had on the vine. I guess my question is can the grape be spelled both ways, and are they one and the same?

[David M. Bueker]

I guess my question is can the grape be spelled both ways, and are they one and the same?

Same grape Bob. Turley uses the Petite Syrah spelling. Ridge uses the Petite Sirah spelling. The Syrah version of the name is trying to imply a kinship that does not exist in order to sell more wine.

[Robin Garr]

Same grape Bob. Turley uses the Petite Syrah spelling. Ridge uses the Petite Sirah spelling. The Syrah version of the name is trying to imply a kinship that does not exist in order to sell more wine.

Further vexation ... despite the gravitas of Turley's name, the "Syrah" version when referring to the grape also known as Durif is decidedly "non-standard." There is, however, a very minor Rhone grape, I think a mutation of true Syrah, called Petite Syrah in France. I doubt that you'll ever see a varietal bottling in the U.S. (although it's possible that Bob's Verget, being French, really was the oddball Petite Syrah.)

My guess ... John knows better but let his fingers get ahead of his head.

My guess ... John knows better but let his fingers get ahead of his head.

John is a pro, and heck I just like to yank chains, and I can enjoy having mine yanked sometimes too. The Verget is from the south of France so your guess is probably dead on.

[Robin Garr]

John is a pro, and heck I just like to yank chains, and I can enjoy having mine yanked sometimes too. The Verget is from the south of France so your guess is probably dead on.

It is truly confusing! I just spotted (and fixed) a "Sirah" for "Syrah" typo in my own post!

Hi Sue,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Rosenblum Petite Syrah.
In relative terms, there are only a few producers in the US who make Petite Syrah, but those who do so are very passionate about it. Petite Syrah to me seems more of an 'American' thing than Zinfandel. I haven't found a Petite Syrah that I haven't liked.

Happy 4th.

Hi John, Good to find an excuse for you to crawl out from under the wood work and nice to know I had something more particularly 'American' for July 4th.

John, I notice that you spell petite syrah, and I am wondering if Sue is talking about petite sirah.

It can be spelt both ways, but I copied what was on the label of the bottle, so in the case of the Rosenblum, 'Petite Sirah' is correct.

Cheers,
Sue

I guess my question is can the grape be spelled both ways, and are they one and the same?

Same grape Bob. Turley uses the Petite Syrah spelling. Ridge uses the Petite Sirah spelling. The Syrah version of the name is trying to imply a kinship that does not exist in order to sell more wine.

Last I knew, the best guess of the grape DNA experts at UC Davis was that Syrah was one of the parents of Durif, aka Petite Sirah. So if we're speaking literally, then I guess you 'd have to say there is a kinship, although I'd agree with your conclusions. Stag's Leap and and David Bruce are two others that use the "y".