A wine that’s been gaining a lot of popularity around the Seattle-area is the Petite Sirah Concannon wines out of California. Concannon was the first winery in the USA to produce a petite sirah as it’s been around since 1883 in the Livermore Valley area. Petite Sirah, as its known in the U.S. and Israel,  is actually the Durif grape – it came about from cross a cross pollenation from Syrah and a Peloursin plant. 

It shares a great deal of similarities of the Syrah grape which is one of the reaons it got its name of “Petite Sirah” – spicey and a bit jammy.

Technical Data: 

• Appellation Central Coast
• Varietal Content 95% Petite Sirah, 3% Merlot, 1% Petite Verdot, 1% Mixed Reds
• Case Production 75,000
• Aging 12 months in French and American oak barrels
• Alcohol 13.9%
• Residual Sugar 0.31 g/100ml
• Titratable Acidity 0.58 g/100ml
• pH 3.61
• Release Date Spring 2008

Nose: Cranberry, asparagus tips, white pepper, bacon fat, and loganberry.

Taste: Huge cranberry component that’s been mixed with white pepper, rhubarb, blueberry and blackberry pie with crust. Decent finish and mouth-feel make this wine a pretty good value-play at the prices you can usually find it for in your local grocery store – around $12. 

W.E.P. Rating: 90%

Winery website: www.concannonvineyard.com