2009 Foppiano Vineyards Petite Sirah
Marlene Rossman’s Review:
The old adage says that “there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah,” but there is something petite about this wine!
Although it is deep, dark and delicious, Foppiano’s “Pets” is crafted with a light touch giving it impeccable balance.
It has flavors of dark stone fruits and vanilla bean, a hint of smoke on the finish and well integrated soft tannins.
Production Notes:
While many winemakers treat Petite Sirah like Cabernet, Winemaker Natalie West prefers gentle handling of her Estate Petite Sirah and even treats it like Pinot Noir. Once in the cellar, the grapes experience a gentle press and are fermented in open top fermenters with punch downs three times a day. To help control tannins, Natalie only uses 30 percent new oak. While most of the oak is French, she does like a touch of American oak to add a little sweetness to the finish. After the aging process, the barrels are blended before bottling.
Marlene Rossman
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