Fine Reserve Petite Sirah Wine from Boeger Winery

The wine known as Petite Sirah (or do you say Petite Syrah?) has a complex history that recently became a little clearer through advanced DNA testing of the varietals held by U.C. Davis. Is it a form of Syrah? How about Durif? Or a cross between Syrah and Peloursin? Petite Sirah may have elements of all these varietals depending upon the vineyard. The majority of vines in California are Durif, with the remainder consisting of either Peloursin or Syrah.

The Durif grape was developed by Dr. Durif in the late 1800's in the south of France. This varietal is a crossing of the Syrah grape and the Peloursin varietal and was developed for the purpose of establishing a grape resistant to Powdery Mildew. However, due to the tightness of the grape bunches, the Durif varietal was more susceptible to rot and therefore did not do well in the wet French climate. This characteristic does however make it an excellent varietal for California's dry climate.

When first planted in California it was mistakenly identified as Petit Syrah (with various spellings of Petite Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Petit Sirah) and was not identified as a Durif until recently by Dr. Carole Meredith of U.C. Davis. In April of 2002, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms indicated they would allow labeling these wines either Durif or Petite Sirah due to the confusing history of this grape.

Because of the size of the Petite Syrah grape there is a high skin to fruit ratio. Although this factor can create a problem with the tannins overwhelming the flavor if not carefully controlled, those same tannins form the foundation for developing an excellent aging quality. Petite Sirah tends to be tasted at the end of the palate, so many times a small amount is used in the finest of Rhone blends to give lingering qualities to the wine.

It's a little known fact of California history that in 1860, there were more wineries in the Gold Country of El Dorado County than in either Napa or Sonoma Counties. With the end of the Gold Rush and advent of prohibition in the 1920’s, most of the wineries and vineyards disappeared. Then, in the 1970's a revitalization began as the wine industry discovered the region to be comparable in climate to the Oakville area of Napa Valley, or the Italian wine region of Tuscany. Because of steep, sloped vineyards, a wide variety of microclimates, and higher elevations, El Dorado grapes reach an ideal physiological maturity level.

The wineries of El Dorado County can and do produce excellent wine. Both Amador and El Dorado County wine producers are known for offering a good quality to price ratio, particularly for Zinfandel, Italian and Rhone varietals. Boeger winery has become one of the most established in the Sierra Foothills region. Three generations of hands-on wine making and family ownership contribute to Boeger's consistently high quality wines.

Boeger Reserve Wines

Boeger Winery's reserve wines are chosen on one merit: excellence. A wine can only become a reserve if it meets our highest standards of quality. Though we may take steps in the process of making a wine with the goal of reserve in mind, such as aging in new oak or leaf thinning in the vineyard, this does not ensure that it will become a reserve wine. For a wine to become a reserve, it must be unanimously selected by a panel of judges in a blind tasting test. This also allows for any of our wines, specially treated or not, to become a reserve wine if they are of exceptional quality. These wines are priced to reflect their high quality and are expected to satisfy the tastes of discerning wine drinkers.

	2004 Reserve Petite Sirah
	2002 Reserve Petite Sirah

The 2002 Petite Sirah has nuances of black pepper, caramel and clove that combine with a robust tannin structure. The soft acidity and intriguing flavors make this wine drinkable now, however it will age well for years to come.

2002 Reserve Petite Sirah available for purchase: Gold Medal San Francisco Chronicle

348 cases produced.

Tasting Notes: Black pepper, caramel, vanilla, clove and honey are just a few of the aromatic components that jump out of a glass of 2002 Reserve Petite Sirah. A very complex wine, more and more aromas develop as the wine breathes. Tannin structure dominates this wine, as is typical with Petite Sirah. However, a soft acidity balances it out to produce a wine that is drinkable right away. Due to the tannins, this wine will age well for quite a few years. For those that like the tannin of Petite Sirah, enjoy it by itself. For those that are intrigued by its flavors and aromas, but aren't used to tannins, try it with your heartiest meat recipe.

2002 Petite Sirah Profile Blend: 97% Petite Sirah, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyards: 73% Walker, 27% Estate (4% Fosatti block) Aging: 40% New American Oak, 16 months Chemistry: Alc-15%, R.S-.02% T.A.- 0.63g/100ml, PH- 3.70

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