Community Tasting Notes 4

• RichEB1 Likes this wine: 95 points

  August 5, 2023 - 1998 La Jota Petite Sirah, Howell Mountain. Wow, this was honestly stunning. I know, i know. Plenty of peeps out there are saying to themselves 'it's petite sirah....it can never be stunning'. Well my friends, I promise you a taste of this would change your mind. Haunting nose of smokey red fruits and leather, and a juicy, medium bodied blast of tar, raspberries, and tobacco on the palate with a long acid-filled finish. But what really stands out and puts this above many of the other PS's that I've tried is how the wine has evolved and gained complexity and nuance with age. I have no idea how/why, but I'm sure the low abv and substantial acidity didn't hurt (mouth-feel is incredible), nor does the mountain fruit and impeccable winemaking. Regardless, this is just an incredible wine that is absolutely singing right now. If anyone reading this is fortunate enough to have a bottle in the cellar, do yourself a favor and drink it now (like....right now).

  1 person found this helpful Comments (2)

• acruse2 wrote: 93 points

  February 26, 2012 - Opened and drank immediately, this was an impressive PS. At 14 years old, this bottle showed excellent structure and complexity. Green pepper and leather with enough tannin leave a moderately long peppery finish. Should continue to develop over the next 10 years, but alas I have no more bottles.

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• SteveH wrote: 88 points

  December 7, 2006 - Very closed at first, but then a very interesting wine. A great every-so-often alternative to the "major varietals"

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• MarkC wrote: 86 points

  October 10, 2004 - Earthy nose, a bit of brick in the color. On the palate almost like a Zinfandel - pepper and briar-y fruits. Fairly simple and monolithic. Decent quaffer if the food and company was the main focus.

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Pro Reviews 1

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1998
• Type Red
• Producer La Jota
• Varietal Petite Sirah
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Howell Mountain

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 28 (47%)
• Consumed 31 (53%)

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