“Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years. It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man and at the same time stimulates the mind.” – Robert Mondavi
The red wine grape, Petite Sirah (“Peh-teet sear-ah”) (aka Durif or Petite Syrah), was first found growing in France in the mid-1800’s. It is a red wine grape that was created by crossing two varieties of grapes: Syrah and Peloursin. It’s loved for its extraordinary deep color and full-bodied flavors of blueberry, chocolate, plums and black pepper.
Petite Sirah and Syrah (or Shiraz) are two wines that have very little in common. It is important to remember that Petite Sirah is not the baby sibling of Syrah and is certainly not a diluted version of Syrah either, writes Madeline Puckette, James Beard Award-winning author and co-founder of Wine Folly. The Petite Sirah characteristics are distinctive and it has a completely different tasting profile as well.
Source: Wine Folly
The wine is named after the French word petite, meaning small, and Sirah, which was the original name for the Syrah grape. And the grape’s name, Petite Sirah, comes from the berry size and not the vine, which is exceptionally robust.
These tiny berries generate a high skin to juice ratio, which can make very tannic wines. It is one of the darkest wines that are typically full bodied with intense flavors and high tannins.
Despite its popularity, Petite Sirah is an exceptionally rare grape with less than 10,000 planted acres worldwide, growing mainly in California.
Full-bodied red wineslike Petite Sirah have high tannin (bitterness and astringency) which means you’ll want to match them up with richer, more fatty foods to create balance.
With its smoky fruit flavors, Petite Sirah will pair nicely with bold exotic spices and herbs. With you should expect aromas of blackberry jam, brambles, black pepper along with notes of vanilla from oak aging. On the palate, rich and bold tannins compliment the sweet berry-like flavors and the acidity is smooth.
If there is one thing to know about pairing Petite Sirah with food, it is that the wine deserves a food as big and as bold as it is.
6 Fast Facts About Petite Sirah
- History: Petite Sirah (or Durif, the grape’s original name) was a cross between Syrah and the even more rare: Peloursin. It was imported to America in the mid-1880s where it got it’s new name: Petite Sirah.
- Serving: A slightly cooler temperature (65 ºF) will deliver more floral and mineral aromas along with Petite Sirah’s characteristic bold fruit.
- Decanting: Petite Sirah with such high tannin is the perfect red wine to pour in a decanter and let it evolve for 2–4 hours.
- Aging: This warm-climate grape often loses too much acidity and fruit within the first 7 years to make it a contender for longer term aging.
- Value: California’s central valley (like the Lodi AVA) offer some of the best values.
- Anti-Oxidants: Petite Sirah is one of the deepest, most opaque red wines with very high levels of anthocyanin (an antioxidant). Similarly colored wines to Petite Sirah include Tannat and Sagrantino.
At one time, Petite Sirah had a reputation of being too “over the top” for most palates and constitutions. The best way to describe this wine with its brute strength, bold flavors and dense, chewy texture was “masculine”.
Winemakers have managed to tame Petite Sirah and create a red wine variety that is full of gracious nuances. You can enjoy one of the most beautiful, opaque purple wines that boast some of the highest antioxidant levels of any wine.
Healthy and full of flavor – there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah! It display ripe, rich fruit, leans toward the more powerful end of the spectrum, and its spice notes allow it to pair with a wide range of foods. Yet, the varietal flies relatively under the radar
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