Zinfandel Petite Sirah Wine Tasting at Café Maxx

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 - 06:30 PM

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If Claret is the king of natural wines, Burgundy is the queen.”
- Attributed to Moliere.

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And Zinfandel is a peasant- but we have to take one for the team at least once a year. 

There is some good that has come from the cultivation of zinfandel in California.  It turned many wine lovers on to wine, remember white zinfandel.  I remember when I was a bus boy at Filippos Italian restaurant and we had around 12 different white zinfandel selections on the wine list and our favorite was DeLoache! 

Today, you would be laughed at if you had white zinfandel even on the menu in a nice restaurant but it was white zinfandel that saved a lot of zinfandel vines from being uprooted as the style of red wine they made with zinfandel in the late seventies and early eighties was not very popular.  The zinfandel varietal is not my favorite but there are some very good examples being made of this red varietal today and most of them are from old vines as this varietal has a tendency to produce very large yields upwards of 15 tons per acre!!  The older vines naturally limit the yield and zinfandel also has a big problem with what they call chickens and hens phenomenon which means that there are a lot of different sized berries on each cluster, each at various levels of ripeness so you have to average out the ripeness of the cluster. 

Since zinfandel is not my favorite, I decided to introduce another varietal into this year’s tasting and one that resembles zinfandel in its big and brash nature- petite sirah.  This is not a small Syrah grape but its own unique grape varietal and petite sirah makes one of the darkest colored wines and one that is also very approachable in its youth because of its luscious liqueur like fruit.   Petite Sirah has a plush texture on the tongue, dark spices and floral notes and blackberry and blueberry liqueur like fruit. 

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines, you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time. A great way to spend happy hour!!

Tonight we will feature wines from both the Zinfandel and Petite Sirah varietals.   This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.
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Zinfandel and Petite Sirah Tasting at Cafe Maxx
Wednesday, October 15th
7pm

 

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Grgich Zinfandel Napa 2010                       
 Price: $42.75      Sale $37.62          Case $437

All of Grgich’s vineyards are organically farmed and this Calistoga Vineyard is the warmest of their five vineyards and the sole source of Grgich’s Zinfandel.  Its northeast exposure catches plenty of morning sun but is shaded from the hot late afternoon sun and combined with the vineyard's gravelly loam soils creates the perfect spot to grow this varietal. This food-friendly Zinfandel's flavors of strawberries, red plums, orange zest and a hint of white pepper.

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Ridge Geyserville 2012
Price: $45.75       Sale $40.26          Case $467

A blend of 71% zinfandel, 19% carignane, 7% petite sirah, 2% mataro (mourvedre) and 1% alicante bouschet

Winemaker Tasting Notes:  Aromas of bramble fruit, wintergreen, licorice, and sweet toasted oak. Rich black cherry fruit on entry with elegant chalky tannins, gravel/rock, and ginger root. A layered, sensuous finish.

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Sbragia Ginos Vineyard Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2011
Price: $27.75       Sale $24.42          Case $284

A fresh berry pie nose with cherry and wild strawberry like fruit very pretty with fresh flowers and toffee, nice complexity. A very fresh and bright style of Zinfandel with sweet berry pie like fruit and pretty floral notes through the finish light white pepper spice. Finish 35+ Excellent

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Madrigal Zinfandel Napa 2010  
Price: $31.25       Sale $27.50          Case $319

Prepare the grill for this zesty, peppery Zinfandel! Lightly jammy, with undertones of strawberry and clove, this wine is the perfect fit for barbequed ribs.
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Bell Petite Sirah Napa 2010
Price: $26.50       Sale $23.32          Case $271

The 2010 Petite Sirah is a powerful wine full of flavor and tannins. Aromas of pencil shavings and earth erupt from the glass and fill the senses. This well-structured wine has a backbone of dark berry, earth and tobacco that is backed by smoky oak. The fruit is grown in the
cooler Yountville climate, which delivers an additional dimension - lively acidity, giving the wine a bright fruit flavor. A meat lover’s wine, this Petite Sirah will pair well with barbecue pork or a hearty Bolognese sauce

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Ridge Lytton Petite Sirah Estate 2012    
 Price: $34.25      Sale $30.14          Case $350

In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted here at the turn of the century, and purchased both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under "Captain" William Litton's ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved into "Lytton" by 1903.) Occasionally, as in 2006, certain of the vineyard blocks may be of top quality but we choose to hold them out of the Lytton Springs because their inclusion would add too much ripeness, or, in this case, tannin. Instead, we combine these wines to make the Lytton Estate. The wine is fermented using only naturally occurring yeast, and is aged in air-dried American oak.

Our first Petite Sirah was in 1971. It is a natural cross of syrah and a little-known French variety, peloursin, and is frequently found inter planted in California's old zinfandel vineyards. The varietal offers deep color, firm tannins, and peppery spice complement the rich berry fruit and softer structure of zinfandel.

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Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah Napa 2011         
 Price: $37.50      Sale $33.00          Case $383

The cooler 2011 vintage yielded an elegant Petite Sirah, scented with the varietal’s signature trio of black fruit, floral and spicy characteristics. Fresh, juicy flavors of blackberry and blueberry are complemented by generous spice notes of clove and pepper with a subtle hint of rose petal. Refined and supple tannins balance the wine’s powerful palate, keeping this Petite Sirah particularly graceful.

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Madrigal Petite Sirah Napa 2010              
 Price: $38.25      Sale $33.66          Case $391

Not be mistaken with the Syrah grape, our Petite Sirah is what put Madrigal Family Winery on the map. Rosy nose with underlying licorice and black pepper, this fruit forward wine is a great accompaniment to wild game dishes.

 

This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.

 

What I Drank Yesterday:  sorry it’s been a busy day!!! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews!!