Petite Sirah is a grape that mostly goes unloved. It has the reputation of adding color and body to generic blends, but some wineries have stuck with it as a unique varietal through thick and thin. (One thinks of the massive beauties produced at Stags’ Leap Winery.) But there has been a renaissance, with winemakers taking another look at this well-endowed berry. In fact, the Wine Spectator magazine just recently had a story totally dedicated to it. Taming the fierce tannins of this grape has been the key to more successful releases, and Frank Family Vineyards’ newest national release, sourced from Chiles Valley (within Napa Valley), succeeds brilliantly.
2012 Petite Sirah, Frank Family Vineyards $35 srp
Italian plum color that is not forbidding. A dust-tinged cherry nose with leathery, lanolin-laced nuances that are saturated and satisfying. The mouth texture is generous and sappy with simple but fulsome, plum-like flavors. Tannins are soft, merely keeping the wine somewhat “in check” for now. This chunky, ripe mouthful is a joy to drink with all manner of spicy fare or fruit-glazed meats. Would do a Thanksgiving ham proud. Drink now-2020. (998 cases produced)
90/100 points
