Bakersfield Life

Que sirah. sirah!

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     Petite sirah — a dark, inky wine that has loads of pepper and a taste of dark berries and plums — is one of my favorites. Its full-bodied, velvety texture is a perfect match for the foods we enjoy during the cold winter months: grilled steaks, lamb, stews, and hearty soups.

     Petite sirah has been grown in California for more than a century. Once used primarily as a blending grape, it is still blended in many zinfandel wines produced today. Its popularity has increased in the last decade, as more wineries are growing the grape and producing the wine as a varietal on its own. Many consumers have discovered that this grape produces a fabulous wine, versatile enough to complement a variety of dishes.

     Petite sirah should not be confused with syrah; syrah is actually one of its parents, but the two grapes are different. Petite sirah can also be called durif, and is sometimes labeled petite syrah, which has contributed to the confusion about this wine. This grape was a result of a cross between syrah and peloursin that was produced in France in the 1870s. Ironically, the grape is predisposed to gray rot (mold) in the southern Rhone, where it was developed, but has flourished in the drier climate of California and Australia. It has small berries — thus the name petite — which produce a wine with lots of tannins and high acidity. Because of these characteristics, it has the potential to age and is a great “food wine.”

     This wine is often not easy to find in the store. It is usually stocked on the shelf mixed in with the syrah, so you have to look for it. One of the good things about petite sirah is that is many producers have it priced under $20. Look for producers such as Concannon (one of the first producers of this varietal in California), Bogle and Foppiano. They are a good starting point in your discovery and appreciation of the wine. There are also many wineries in the Paso Robles area, such as Grey Wolf, J. Lohr and Tobin James that produce excellent examples of this wine. Not surprisingly, some of the more expensive bottles of petite sirah are made in the Napa Valley by top producers such as David Fulton, Madrigal and Stags’ Leap Winery.

     Petite sirah also has its own Web site: psiloveyou.org. This site contains a wealth of information regarding this wine, its history, and producers of this varietal. It has a very special appeal to wine nerds, such as me!

     So, my advice for this month is to go out and find a bottle of this delicious wine, and try it with your favorite winter meal. Hopefully, you will find a new wine to add to your collection.


Take a sip

     For those looking to imbibe for a good cause, head out to the second annual Relay for Life wine tasting and auction, put on by the Coldwell Banker — Bringing Home The Cure team. The March 13 event from 4 to 7 p.m. will again be held at the Motor City Lexus, 5101 Gasoline Alley Drive at the auto mall. Team captain Greg Holland says they will have an outstanding lineup of wineries from the Central Coast as well as tasty treats from some of Bakersfield’s finest food purveyors. Last year’s event was a huge success, raising more than $37,000 for the Relay for Life and American Cancer Society. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 the day of the event, but act quickly because only 550 tickets will be sold. Tickets are available at Imbibe Wine & Spirits Merchant and all Coldwell Banker offices, or by calling 747-6208.