Clayhouse Vineyard Petite Sirah Paso Robles 2007

This is one of the vineyards that stood out during our annual trip to California. The Clayhouse Petite Sirah 2007 is an excellent wine. This region is big agriculture and Paso Robles is not a great tourist destination if you are into B&B's, but the wines are excellent, while prices are affordable. We tend to stay in Sonoma (great vineyards), visit Napa (also great vineyards, but overcrowded) and now plan to visit Paso Robles each year. I suspect in time their prices will rise, but right now you can get some excellent wines at half the price of similar grade wines to the north. Next on our list is Oregon....

Fabulous Petite Sirah, just released. Great black fruit, blackberries and black plum with some hints of pepper on the nose. Very supple fruit on the palate with a smooth finish (especially for a Petite Sirah). Still a little young, tastes even better when decanted. Has won a number of awards already, including the Critics Challenge Wine of the Year for 2009

loads of blue raspberry candy flavors as well as on the nose. like those blue icees. lots of black pepper and alcohol heat as well as stewed red fruits. I doubt the 14.5% is accurate. Very tasty overall though. definitely benefits from a decant.

Enjoyed the rich dried plum and blueberries taste with a little grit. I was surprised and delighted to find the sweet honey and floral smell. Slow and smooth with a slight lingering burn in the aftertaste. Definitely would try it again.

Enjoyed the rich dried plum and blueberries taste with a little grit. I was surprised and delighted to find the sweet honey and floral smell. Slow and smooth with a slight lingering burn in the aftertaste. Definitely would try it again.

Bright and exuberant with sweet, meaty, and spicy flavors. Left a slightly chalky sweet coating in my mouth - very enjoyable.

Gamey, berry nose, with a juicy center that reminds me a bit of the inside of a jelly donut. It's a little more oaked than that, of course.