With a title such as that, any reader, let alone a Petite Sirah aficionado, would want any introductory banter about the present weather in Napa Valley, the blooming mustard, the cloudless sunny days sparking the hope for a good vintage year ahead or any other whimsical observations to quickly wrap and move on to the more important topic at hand:  Petite Sirah… the proverbial “good stuff”.

Week after week I select a bottle of wine to feature.  While some varietals clearly receive more focus than others, Petite Sirah has sat for nearly an entire year without mention since last winter’s article.   It is not for a lack of interest.   Certainly, if a varietal is to drive wine connoisseurs in the United States into a passionate tizzy, it is most likely to be Petite Sirah.   The strongest varietal advocacy comes from those loyal impassioned Petite Sirah fans and perhaps there is a case for more articles to be devoted to this peculiar grape also known as “Durif”.  

Petite Sirah has experienced a recent revival in the United States as before it was most commonly found used as a blending grape for two reasons:  it adds body to wine to enhance structure yet if bottled as a single varietal, its finish is often short leaving the palate lingering expecting to find something more.   Yet, Petite Sirah, despite its complexities, its growing challenges and susceptibility to mold, its acidic and tannic nature, can be made into elegant single varietal bottlings.   Finding these bottlings is an adventure and a fun one at that.

Rather than start at the bottom of such an adventure, let’s simply start at the top:  Hayne Vineyard in Napa Valley.   There is something special about the Hayne Vineyard in Napa Valley and it is known among vintners as producing some of the very best Petite Sirah fruit in the valley.   Thus, it is no shock that Ray Coursen of Elyse Winery (“Elyse”) has a long-standing relationship with Hayne Vineyard and reflects that relationship each year in his elegantly masculine bottling of Jacob Franklin Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah.

Tasting at Elyse, there are other Petite Sirah bottling to compare (each savory by independent right) yet as the Jacob Franklin Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah flows forth from its sleek dark different bottle, you will repeatedly hear hospitality staff stoically acknowledge, “Now this, is what other Petite Sirahs aspire to be.”

Tumbling into the glass, the wine is dark, dramatic and inky in coloring as any good Petite Sirah should be.   The cork from the bottle is easily stamped with tell-tale signs of goodness.  Seductive aromas of spices, clove, lavender, mushroom, fine leather and pipe tobacco waft upwards, graced by nuances of blueberry.   Rich and full on the palate, if you have allowed this wine to age, its tannins are finely woven into a silken tapestry.  With a controlled yet present acidity, the fruit flavors include a cornucopia of ripe sweet blueberries, black cherries, raspberries and plum which are only to be accompanied by a lingering long finish dusted by comforting baking spices.   Only a few barrels are made each year by Elyse and generally each vintage contains approximately 20% Zinfandel.

Petite Sirah, being the dark wine that it is, generally seeks heartier flavored fare for pairings.   While the rest of the nation is bombarded with snow or gripped in a stronghold of dramatically cold temperatures, California continues to experience unseasonably warm February days.   Yet, while our days are warm, our evenings quickly cool into the 40’s giving us just enough winter chill to crave some comforting fare.   Taking this and the characteristics of this week’s wine into consideration, this week’s menu offers:

1)      Mushroom Pastry au Biftec; and

2)     Grilled Herbed Asparagus with Vegetable Slaw.

Thinking about the flavors, the aromas and the inescapable dark coloring of the Jacob Franklin Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah, this is a wine that seemingly begs for rustic or heartier fare.   Yet to really allow the wine to stand out on its own, flushing out the floral and earthy aromatics will allow the wine’s structure to come forth with power and definition, holding its spices and berry fruit in a respective balance.   Going for earthy and herbal, there is no better place than to start with a medley of roasted mushrooms in shallot, garlic, white wine and lemon thyme and marjoram from the patio.  Filling a single serving of puff pastry with cream cheese and a blend of asiago and fontina cheeses creates a buttery richness that pairs well once the roasted mushroom medley is inserted.   To top off, bits of top sirloin steak are lightly tossed in a mixture of soy sauce and Dijon mustard to be quickly flash seared and adorn the top of the mushroom pastry.

Butter, beef, mushrooms, cheese, and home grown herbs make this an appetizer for grown-ups and when pairs with this wine, amateurs need not apply.

To brighten, lighten and balance the meal, a vegetable side dish is created using seasonal fresh asparagus and a medley of julienned vegetables such as red cabbage, carrots, zucchini and broccoli.  Combined with minced shallots, garlic, mirroring fresh herbs, olive oil and Meyer Lemon from the patio, this vegetable side dish is placed in a foil wrap on the charcoal grill to emerge with bright festive colors.

Stalks of asparagus richly infused with Meyer Lemon and roasted herbs, are adorned by the tender colorful vegetable slaw.   When paired with the wine, the vegetables surprisingly brighten the wine bringing forth sweet ripened fresh berry fruit and reminding one and all seated at the table that spring is right around the corner.  It is a delicious way to get your servings of vegetables even if normally it is a chore.  The medley of vegetables involved renders the wine juicy in flavor and filling one with daydreams of future summer berry patches.

The Jacob Franklin Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah never disappoints and smoothly rolls back leaving a wake of distinguished elegance on the palate.   Whether this wine is enjoyed with food or simply on its own, it humbles the palate into recognition that without a doubt, this is truly what all Petite Sirah’s aspire to be.