Local Wine Events

Event Details

Wine OR Wine & Food

A recent article in the Chron noted that:

Over the last decade, while infatuations with Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio have grabbed some of California's wine business headlines, a stealth story has been woven around Petite Sirah....

Makers of small-lot versions report that it sells out first among their red varietals, even when the wine commands upwards of $35 a bottle. [They] appear perennially on wine lists of restaurants like Gary Danko, the French Laundry and Chez Panisse. [Press restaurant's] list features 17 Petite Sirahs. [Sommelier Erin O'Shea] sells it as a "more floral wine" than Cabernet, with an interesting texture that "marries perfectly with steak and anything rich." Tamer tannins, serious winemakers, better wines and a growing supply of well-farmed grapes may not have positioned Petite as the new Merlot, but a varietal niche for Petite now seems secure - alongside its long-standing role as a supporting player to other winesWe have sought to assemble terroir driven "Pets" from a wide range of grape growing regions:

Sonoma (Foppiano, Pedroncelli)
Napa (Biale, Judds Hill, Hess, Fortress)
Paso Robles (Vina Robles, Eos, Victor Hugo)
Mendocino County (Rock Wall--Kent Rosenblum's new winery)
Lake County (Cecchetti)
Livermore (Concannon)
Lodi- Mettler
Stanislaus County (Silkwood)
Clarksburg (Heninger, Bogle)

Thanks to Jo Diaz, Executive Director of PS I Love You for assisting with the securing of the wines.

We are extremely fortunate to have Jim Ryan lead us through our discussion and blind tasting. Jim is Estate Manager at Concannon Vineyard in Livermore Valley--which produced the first non blended version in 1961--with 20 years in the wine business working for large and small wineries. He is a registered member of the Royal Guild of Master Sommeliers and a Certified Wine Educator. Blogger Ken Payton, who wrote a recent in depth article on the grape, will join in the discussion.

As a special treat, we'll taste a Petite Sirah Port paired with Reblochon and Maroilles cheeses.

We will also raffle off some bottles of PS.