As Seen On... WINOMAGAZINE.COM January 11, 2009

PETITE SIRAH AND PETIT VERDOT Ain’t Nothin’ Small About ‘Em

Christine Go

Does size matter? Well, it does if you’re talking familiar to gardeners in Western , about , namely Petite Sirah and Petit and originally Petite Sirah was developed to be Verdot. These produce big, bold , resistant to it; but in humid climates, Petite Sirah so why are they called “petite?” Give up? is prone to another fungus called “grey rot.” This Because of the size of the grapes! Apparently is why Petite Sirah does well in drier - both varietals have small berries, so they have a growing regions. Today the Alcohol and Tobacco high skin-to-juice ratio. Since color and tannins Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) recognizes Durif come primarily from the skin and seeds of and Petite Sirah as synonyms for the same the grapes, more skin equals more color and grape. And just to add to the confusion, some tannins, which translates to tooth-staining wines label their Petite Sirah as “Petite ” with lots of structure. even though it is not the same as Syrah.

So Petite Sirah isn’t petite, but is it related to Historically, Petite Sirah became popular in Syrah? There’s been a lot of confusion about California as a blending grape, since its plum the origin of Petite Sirah, and it’s taken about a and dark berry flavors, firm tannins, and good hundred years to figure out the answer to that acidity added a lot of body and structure to question. If you check out the timeline on the thin, light reds. Here’s a trivia tidbit: back “P.S. I Love You” website (an advocacy group for when Americans were drinking generic jug Petite Sirah), you’ll see that Syrah first came to blends, Gallo Hearty Burgundy was very California from in 1878, but some called popular. Guess what? Petite Sirah was one of it Petite Syrah. Then, a few years later, a French the main components of that blend. Today there called Durif (named after the grape are hundreds of California wineries producing grower who propagated it) was introduced to Petite Sirah, and it’s grown successfully in other California, and it was called Petite Sirah, since drier regions around the world, like Australia, that was its common name in France. Israel, and Eastern Washington.

We now know that Syrah/Petite Syrah is not So which Washington wineries are producing the same as Petite Sirah/Durif, but they are Petite Sirah, and where are those grapes related. In 1997, Carole Meredith, a professor grown? Here are a few examples: Thurston at UC Davis, did a DNA analysis of Wolfe gets Petite Sirah grapes Petite Sirah compared to Durif, and from vines that were planted at discovered that they are indeed Zephyr Ridge in the Horse the same. It turns out that Syrah Heaven Hills in 1998. Milbrandt gets and Peloursin, an obscure French their Petite Sirah from Northridge varietal, are the parents of Petite Vineyard on Wahluke Slope. Petite Sirah. Syrah is prone to a fungus Sirah is one of the varietals planted called “powdery mildew,” something in Jones of Washington’s Unit 10

www.psiloveyou.org Vineyard on Wahluke Slope. Portteus Petit Verdot, as does Northstar, which uses in the Rattlesnake Hills makes award-winning fruit from StoneTree Vineyard on Wahluke Petite Sirah from estate-grown fruit. Palouse Slope. Animale’s Petit Verdot comes from Winery just won a silver medal at the Seattle Gilbert Vineyard on Wahluke Slope. The Cara Wine Awards for their Petite Sirah crafted from Mia Cadence vineyard on Red Mountain was Portteus vineyard fruit. planted to 10% Petit Verdot. Meek Vineyard in Petit Verdot Yakima Valley near Red Mountain provided the Petit Verdot fruit for three Seattle Wine Award Petit Verdot winners, OS Winery, Olsen Estates and Pleasant Hill Cellars. What about Petit Verdot? Does it have anything else in common with Petite Sirah besides berry Finally, wines made from both Petit Verdot size? Well, it turns out that it does. First of all, Petit and Petite Sirah will age nicely, thanks to their Verdot also is a blending grape that originated in firm tannins. With so many delicious options France. It’s one of the five Bordeaux varietals— available in Washington, it shouldn’t be difficult the others are , , to find some petit/petite for your cellar…or enjoy , and . (Carménère, the a glass now with a hearty meal at your favorite sixth Bordeaux varietal, is hardly grown in France restaurant. anymore, but is successfully grown in Chile.) Petit Verdot is a small component of many of Bordeaux’s best wines, mainly from the Medoc region on the left bank of the Gironde. Because of its strong tannins, blackberry flavors, and aromas of violets, it’s used in small amounts to add color, spice, and structure to a wine.

Petit Verdot means “little green,” and it’s aptly named, because it ripens very late or not at all, so in some years, the grapes remain green. That’s why it’s not more popular in France. Just like Petite Sirah, it does better in warmer climates where it can ripen fully, such as the Temecula region in Southern California, the east end of Long Island, and Eastern Washington.

Intrigued by Petit Verdot made in Washington? Then give it a try! For example, Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla produces award-winning

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