Petite Sirah

 

Name of varietal: Petite Sirah
 
Common synonyms: Durif, Petit Syrah, Petit Sirah, Petite Syrah (and other combinations thereof)
 
Parentage of the grape: Peloursin and Syrah from Rhone, France
 
History of the grape: Petite Syrah is often confused with its parent grape, Syrah, but it has been identified as a separate descendant. It was developed in the 1870s by a French horticulturalist, Francois Durif, who crossed Peloursin and Syrah in attempts to create a hybrid that was resistant to the powdery mildew (Oidium) epidemic. But it failed to meet quality standards and was still susceptible to bunch rot so it never quite caught on except as a blending grape. In the 1880s, California wine-maker Charles Melver planted it in his Mission San José vineyard and is credited as being the first to change its name from Durif to Petite Syrah. From there, the grape gained local popularity, particularly in the 1940s when efforts were made to produce wines with bolder flavor Read more »

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Popular Petite Sirah wines

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Popular Regions for Petite Sirah View all

  • California

    Viticulture in California began in the 1700s as Spanish missionaries worked their way north fro...

  • Sonoma County

      Wine-making in Sonoma, California began in 1812 when Russian colonists planted grapes at F...

  • Israel

      Wine has been produced in Israel since Biblical times, perhaps longer than anywhere in the...

  • Lake County

    Lake County is an emerging wine region within California’s North Coast, north of Napa. Clear La...

  • Napa

      There is some debate over how this famous wine region got its name. Spanish settlers named...

  • Paso Robles

    Paso Robles (“Oak Pass”) is part of San Luis Obispo county in California’s Central Coast. The f...

  • Yolo County

      Yolo County is an emerging wine region within the Central Valley district of California. T...

  • Lodi

    The Lodi wine region lies in the northern portion of California’s Central Valley, which include...

  • USA

    "American Wine" has existed since the first Europeans brought their vinous heritage and tradition...

Popular Wineries using Petite Sirah

  • Screaming Eagle Winery

      Screaming Eagle is a small winery based in Oakville, California. The original 57-acre (23 ...

  • Livingston Cellars

    Since 1984 and 17 years, the de facto estate wine of Livingston Moffett winery has been bottled ...

  • Dark Horse Wine

    Named 2007 Winemaker of the Year by the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, winemaker Michael Loykasek ha...

  • Matchbook

    Our Vision. "Produce wines we love to drink at prices we don't mind paying

  • Rockledge Vineyards

    High on the eastern slopes of Napa Valley just south of the town of St. Helena is a saddle covere...

  • Glass Mountain

    It has been more than hundred years since California wine pioneer Jean Laurent quarried stone fro...

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Petite Sirah on Snooth

  • Concannon Vineyard Petite Sirah Livermore Valley Conservancy 2009

    Snoothrank:

    No written review

    Wine review by CestMoi


  • Turnbull Petite Sirah Napa Valley 2009

    Snoothrank:

    Nice balance of smoke, game, meat jus and roasty aromas with oak, red, blue and blackberry fruit. Super dry on the palate. Woody. Maduro tobacco, cigar box, blue and purple fruit with blackberry juice. Vanilla notes. Big, powerful and dry, but great flavor complexity.90 pts.5/10/13 at winery Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Prager Petit Sirah 2006

    Snoothrank:

    Nice blue and black fruit on the nose. Plum. Very fruity. Good balance on the palate with nice fruit. Toasty, smoky plum, blueberry and blackberry. Good tannin/acid balance. Flavors also of ink, tar, leather. Nice.88 pts.5/10/13 at winery Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • OT: So how was it?  I'm about to drink my last one, after checking the ... off a 2009 Pedroncelli DCV Petite Sirah that had been opened a couple days earlier.  Man, that got better with air, and what a deal at about $13.&nbs Read More

    Forum post in the topic Whatcha drinking tonight-...


  • Shannon Ridge Vineyard Petite Sirah 2010

    Snoothrank:

    No written review

    Wine review by annecara


  • L. A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2009

    Snoothrank:

    Pepper sweet flavors Read More

    Wine review by TacTic


  • Priest Ranch Petit Sirah 2009

    Snoothrank:

    I am finickiy about petit sirah, but this one is nice. Inky blue, black and purple fruit on the nose with high alcohol. On the palate, blueberry syrup and balsamic reduction, predominantly rich blueberry pie. Nice balance and finesse on the flavors.89 pts.5/8/13 Yountville Tasting Room Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Ravenswood Petite Sirah Vintners Blend 2011

    Snoothrank:

    No written review

    Wine review by kklewis


  • People’s Voice Wine Awards are Back!We had a fabulous inaugural ... out. ... ... out. Great values in Petite Sirah, and of course Old Vine Zinfandel, but producers like Harney Lane with their Chardonnay, Bokisch with their Albarino and Spanish varietals, Silvaspoons' Portuguese varietals, and Fields Family's excellent Syrah and Tempranillo al... Read More

    From the article What's Coming Up


  • Bedrock Pagani Ranch Heritage Sonoma Valley 2011

    Snoothrank:

    Quite perfumed on the nose, with assertive aromas of blueberries, smoke, ... ... polished if slightly chunky Petite Sirah character that leads to a long bilberry, violets and black plum finish. This is really lovely, with great freshness to the fruit. 89 poin Read More

    Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz


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