Surprisingly good. The cork was about to fall apart with the cork screw so used the ah-so and the cork came out perfectly. Poured almost black, but with purple on the edges. Full bodied and rich, this tasted nothing like a 20 year old wine. Still vibrant, mostly dark fruit flavors, plus some acidity to keep the wine together.
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Geez, the last time I had this wine was way the hell back in 2007. Damn near 15 years ago. I call out this timing because this wine continues to just cruise right along, reaching now 20 years of maturity. I tasted the wine last night blind, then again today non-blind, which forms the note that follows. Over both tasting experiences, there is a distinct, bloody aromatic. I don't ever recall smelling this in Petite Sirah. In Syrah yes, but not in Petite. Maple syrup, butterscotch, iron, dark chocolate and sweet leather during the blind tasting. The following day, this is still fleshy but it picks up a big note of black licorice, as well as generous dollop of tar. It finishes with the same dark chocolate note, much like a high percentage cacao (90% +), the kind where if the stuff its made right, the cacao is the star and there is virtually little sugar. This is the finishing note of the wine for me. 2 decades old, still going right along as a big wine, but with edges and distinction that make it cool.
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Nice to revist one last time. Splash decanted, mainly to look for sediment. Nice minerality to balance out the 16.6% alc. Was balanced and flavorful. not as dynamic as I had remembered but a very complete wine that aged nicely. Served with dry rubbed ribs and mashed sweet potatoes. That came together well. May be novel to hold longer, but I enjoyed this now.
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This was worth the wait. Big purple fruit nose, but a restrained mouthfeel and silky tannins. Unlike the '02 Pride Petite I opened a few weeks ago, this was by no means a bruiser. Rather, a well integrated package of black/boisenberry, earth, spice and rock salts. Really fun to drink. Not young, but not anywhere near "old" either.
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Voluptuous wine full of blueberry, blackberry liqueur, fig, orange blossom and charcoal. The fruit has a slightly roasted edge. Fat and creamy in texture. Good structure on the finish. A hedonistic, if slightly monochromatic wine.
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It has been 27 months since I opened my first bottle and the additional age is exactly what this wine needed. The nose is showing plenty of dark floral meaty notes. The tannins have integrated nicely and allowed the beautifully rich, creamy and superbly balanced blackberry/blueberry fruit to shine. The finish is long and full of delicious dark fruit with a nice layer of spice. I think this is now in it's peak drinking window so if you are lucky enough to still have any I would drink over the next year.
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My 2nd and last bottle. Wanted to engage a heavier, fuller throttle wine for dinner so figured I'd do this last one. Showed identical (of course) to the bottle we drank a few months ago. Extremely dark, staining and chocked full of ripeness--little pruny with chocolate and big flavor. Look forward now working my way into the 2002. Only one bottle of that so trying to figure when to drink it.
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Starts off with pruny nose, almost like a Zin. Dense feel with more raisiny fruit and plummy, red jam and dark coffee like flavors. After 24 hours, less raisins on nose but more pepper, some heat, shoe polish and dark red fruits. Some more chocolate. Does not possess the weight of the Pride or the intensity of the Switchback but pretty damn good. Will just do a glass a day until it's gone. Can be drunk now if you give good decant.
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Black as night. Big blueberry, vanilla nose - a dead-ringer for the 02 Pax Vine Hill. Huge and round in the mouth, with a blast of blueberry and cassis. The fine grain tannins show themselves on the powerful finish. Should be ready in 2-3 years.
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This wine is still a beast and it is either in a closed phased or I just don't get Petite Sirah. The wine comes out of the bottle like motor oil and coats the glass with legs that have the consistency of motor oil. The color is an opaque black/purple. The nose shows blackberry fruit, some floral notes, and a touch of roasted meat. The mid-palate was tight with plenty of tannins and showed some blackberry fruit but not much else. What little blackberry fruit was present on the mid-palate was quickly overwhelmed by tannins on the finish causing the finish to be clipped and a touch bitter. I am betting the wine is in a closed phase and I will wait on my remaining bottle for at least 2 more years.
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12/10/2021 - kabert Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprisingly good. The cork was about to fall apart with the cork screw so used the ah-so and the cork came out perfectly. Poured almost black, but with purple on the edges. Full bodied and rich, this tasted nothing like a 20 year old wine. Still vibrant, mostly dark fruit flavors, plus some acidity to keep the wine together.
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3/26/2021 - brigcampbell wrote:
Sean's Best Book Club Ever: Blind: call petite sirah but couldn't dial it in.
The most complex PS I've ever tasted. Blue fruit, saddle, venison, meaty, iodine, blood, unsweetened dark chocolate.
Take a northern rhone and replace the fruit with blueberries and this is what you have. Awesome wine.
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3/24/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Geez, the last time I had this wine was way the hell back in 2007. Damn near 15 years ago. I call out this timing because this wine continues to just cruise right along, reaching now 20 years of maturity. I tasted the wine last night blind, then again today non-blind, which forms the note that follows. Over both tasting experiences, there is a distinct, bloody aromatic. I don't ever recall smelling this in Petite Sirah. In Syrah yes, but not in Petite. Maple syrup, butterscotch, iron, dark chocolate and sweet leather during the blind tasting. The following day, this is still fleshy but it picks up a big note of black licorice, as well as generous dollop of tar. It finishes with the same dark chocolate note, much like a high percentage cacao (90% +), the kind where if the stuff its made right, the cacao is the star and there is virtually little sugar. This is the finishing note of the wine for me. 2 decades old, still going right along as a big wine, but with edges and distinction that make it cool.
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10/5/2012 - btock wrote: 92 Points
Nice to revist one last time. Splash decanted, mainly to look for sediment. Nice minerality to balance out the 16.6% alc. Was balanced and flavorful. not as dynamic as I had remembered but a very complete wine that aged nicely. Served with dry rubbed ribs and mashed sweet potatoes. That came together well. May be novel to hold longer, but I enjoyed this now.
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7/27/2012 - theferb wrote: 96 Points
Wine is near perfect right now. Drink and enjoy.
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4/7/2010 - btock wrote: 94 Points
This was worth the wait. Big purple fruit nose, but a restrained mouthfeel and silky tannins. Unlike the '02 Pride Petite I opened a few weeks ago, this was by no means a bruiser. Rather, a well integrated package of black/boisenberry, earth, spice and rock salts. Really fun to drink. Not young, but not anywhere near "old" either.
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4/3/2010 - bingley wrote: 87 Points
fruit forward nose, quick dry finish, no tannins, little depth (held too long)
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2/19/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Voluptuous wine full of blueberry, blackberry liqueur, fig, orange blossom and charcoal. The fruit has a slightly roasted edge. Fat and creamy in texture. Good structure on the finish. A hedonistic, if slightly monochromatic wine.
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8/24/2007 - RussW wrote:
It has been 27 months since I opened my first bottle and the additional age is exactly what this wine needed. The nose is showing plenty of dark floral meaty notes. The tannins have integrated nicely and allowed the beautifully rich, creamy and superbly balanced blackberry/blueberry fruit to shine. The finish is long and full of delicious dark fruit with a nice layer of spice. I think this is now in it's peak drinking window so if you are lucky enough to still have any I would drink over the next year.
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2/11/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My 2nd and last bottle. Wanted to engage a heavier, fuller throttle wine for dinner so figured I'd do this last one. Showed identical (of course) to the bottle we drank a few months ago. Extremely dark, staining and chocked full of ripeness--little pruny with chocolate and big flavor. Look forward now working my way into the 2002. Only one bottle of that so trying to figure when to drink it.
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12/18/2006 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Starts off with pruny nose, almost like a Zin. Dense feel with more raisiny fruit and plummy, red jam and dark coffee like flavors. After 24 hours, less raisins on nose but more pepper, some heat, shoe polish and dark red fruits. Some more chocolate. Does not possess the weight of the Pride or the intensity of the Switchback but pretty damn good. Will just do a glass a day until it's gone. Can be drunk now if you give good decant.
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11/24/2005 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
Black as night. Big blueberry, vanilla nose - a dead-ringer for the 02 Pax Vine Hill. Huge and round in the mouth, with a blast of blueberry and cassis. The fine grain tannins show themselves on the powerful finish. Should be ready in 2-3 years.
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5/28/2005 - RussW wrote:
This wine is still a beast and it is either in a closed phased or I just don't get Petite Sirah. The wine comes out of the bottle like motor oil and coats the glass with legs that have the consistency of motor oil. The color is an opaque black/purple. The nose shows blackberry fruit, some floral notes, and a touch of roasted meat. The mid-palate was tight with plenty of tannins and showed some blackberry fruit but not much else. What little blackberry fruit was present on the mid-palate was quickly overwhelmed by tannins on the finish causing the finish to be clipped and a touch bitter. I am betting the wine is in a closed phase and I will wait on my remaining bottle for at least 2 more years.
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