Thanks to the Wannabe Wino for hosting this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday, our 40th month of co-global-tasting and blogging.
With humble apologies to my friends at P.S. I Love You, I usually put this grape firmly in the blender category. I say this because Petite Sirah is usually such an inky massive beast, that a little goes a long way in a blend. That being said, it's not just the color that it imparts in a blend, but also an aroma lift that adds complexity.
My wine this month didn't disprove my preconceived notion above, I'm afraid. It was a gift from a great Greek friend, who I begged to bring me some Greek wine one dinner party. Even out here in the land of wine, she couldn't find anything...alas, she did find a bottle with a Greek name! - Orpheus.
I often like Lolonis' Zinfandels, so it was a welcome gift. Lolonis is known for its organic practices and the ladybugs that are their trademark. You can meet the family and get a ladybug sticker next ZAP. This wine was blended with a small amount of Valdiugé, but subsequent years have used Gamay.
Lolonis "Orpheus" Petite Sirah 2001
This wine's aroma is a heady brew of blueberries, allspice, and quality new oak, with hints of dried mushrooms that show its age. The flavor is quite peppery with puckery tannins and a clean, but short-lived finish. There is a shocking amount of sediment in this wine, so much so in my bottle, that it was tooth coating and almost chalky. Not really recommended, I'm afraid.
Sorry to hear your bottle wasn't very good, the chalky sediment sounds gross. I do believe that PS as a stand alone wine is really a love or hate varietal.
Posted by: Sonadora | December 13, 2007 at 06:11 AM