Accolades
90 Points | Wine Spectator | August 2017
Gold Medal | Harvest Challenge | November 2017
Showing off the deep, intense color that Petite Sirah is known for, this rich and robust wine has layers and layers of aromas with boysenberry, mocha, sweet tobacco, and vanilla on the nose. Flavors of fresh blackberry, juicy dark cherry, and cola follow with a slightly smoky finish along with great structure and big tannins.
Harvest in 2016 started in the middle of August during a pattern of warm sunny days cooled by foggy mornings and breezy afternoons for most of the area. The early months of the year were very mild with little rain allowing the vines to progress steadily and uneventfully. Yields throughout the region were slightly below average but moderate weather starting in early summer gave the fruit plenty of time to develop great color and flavor, resulting in beautifully balanced wines.
A thick-skinned varietal, Petite Sirah has a vigorous canopy, needing long, warm days in order to fully mature. Our Certified Sustainable Wild Oak Estate Vineyard is located in the heart of Sonoma Valley, at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains, where well-drained soils and hot summer afternoons provide the warm, dry climate and growing conditions that Petite Sirah loves.
The grapes undergo a gentle cold soak before fermentation to extract optimal color and aroma. Fermentation is watched closely, and when a balance is found between tannin and fruit, the wine is racked off its skins and pumped into 60% new French oak barrels where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 25 months of aging.