Petite Sirah is a fruit-forward and jammy wine with a lot of complex layers. A bit of pepper and juicy plum notes drive the taste in most Petite Sirah wines, which are robust, inky and possess solid tannins. Many California wineries — a mix of newer ones and those that have perfected the grape for decades — put out a 100-percent Petite Sirah varietal, which is often used as a blending grape in Zinfandel.
What should you eat with a glass of this luscious red wine? We suggest just about any meat that’s grilled or barbecued. Portobello mushrooms would work too, as would sauces containing peppercorns. If sipping with cheese, look to Dutch Gouda varieties, American cheddars or triple-cream French cheeses.
These are seven favorite varieties of Petite Sirah:
- 2007, Petite Sirah, Cupcake Vineyards, Central Coast, California ($14)
There’s a creamy touch to this wine. Juicy boysenberry notes are combined with an herbaceous quality.
- 2006 Petite Sirah, Parducci “True Grit”, Mendocino ($26)
Tobacco and peppery spices caused us to think this is a good red to pair with pizza.
Smooth, clean and elegant too, which you might expect from a winery that has been around since 1932.
- 2006 Petite Sirah, Big House “The Prodigal Son”, Paso Robles ($15)
A catchy label is often the sign of a gimmick — and a forgettable wine. However, in this case the Hawaiian-shirt-wearing surfer on the label is a great transition into a fabulous wine, the kind that makes you want to kick back and relax, with dark-cherry notes, tight tannins and a complex structure.
- 2006 Petite Sirah, Ballentine Vineyards, Fig Tree Vineyard, St. Helena ($35)
This is another great choice for pizza wine. There’s black pepper at the nose, added with boysenberry and also black-tea notes. A pleasant herbaceousness presented in this Petite Sirah which was missing on other sample.
- 2007 Petite Sirah, Stanton Vineyards, St. Helena, Napa Valley ($45)
A peppery and forest-floor nose makes this wine possess silky profile ended by eruption of fruit (mostly blackberries) and smooth tannins.
- 2007 Petite Sirah, Bogle Vineyards Clarksburg, Yolo County ($10)
Nice terroir, earthy nose, pleasant tannins and blackberry notes. Incredibly approachable and also serves as a good entry level Petite Sirah for those new to the grape.
- 2006 Petite Sirah, Clayhouse Estate, Paso Robles ($25)
Blackberries are on the nose and there’s intense fruit — blackberry pie and cranberry — on the palate. A clean finish rounds it out.