# Petite Sirah



## geek (Sep 3, 2015)

*Petite Syrah*

I've never made this varietal, I don't think I've ever purchased a bottle of it, so not even sure of the taste, so maybe time to go and get me a bottle to try.

In the meantime, I am thinking to make a small batch of it for the first time.

I thought someone mentioned that this grape had only been used in blends (up until some years ago) and was thought too harsh and tannic to stand on its own without being blended with a lesser tannic/harsh varietal?

I love a Merlot/Cab Sav blend as I think both 'compensate' and compliment with each other.

For those that know this varietal, any thoughts/feedback would be appreciated.

I have plenty of Merlot/Cab blend and looking to make a wine I've never made, but that it has nice fruit nose/flavor and overall that I can sense a silky taste.


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## NorCal (Sep 3, 2015)

We grow PS in my community and some people love it. As you mentioned, I find it a bit tannic for my taste. If I were to do it, I'd take every step possible to minimize tannins. I did blend PS (15%) with some cab franc I made and the results were excellent.


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## Boatboy24 (Sep 3, 2015)

PS was the first wine I made from grapes; way, way back in the fall of 2013.  I think it stands on its own just fine, but it is not the 'fruit bomb' that many people seem to like. To me, it has more of an old world feel to it flavor-wise, but big body and mouthfeel of many new world wines, without being overly fruity and/or sweet. My 2013 is still coming around, but I recently opened a bottle of it and am happy with it so far - especially for my first all-grape attempt. I'm making more this year. Mainly for blending this time, but I'll probably have at least half a case of it on its own when I'm done.

Hit the wine store and try a bottle or two.


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## geek (Sep 3, 2015)

Thanks guys, wondering if the Syrah is less tannic/harsh to compliment it, and so a good candidate for blending up front.


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## Fog (Sep 3, 2015)

I made two small batches last year, one with VRB yeast the other with Syrah yeast. Both are very good, but if I remember correctly during bottling we liked the Syrah yeast batch better. Still going to wait a year and then try them again

Rob


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## ibglowin (Sep 3, 2015)

I make both Syrah and Petit Syrah and use them exclusively in blends. Sometimes it's a 50/50 of each. Go easy on the press, you may not need any extra tannin added. It sucks up oak easily so go lightly, makes a great Port due to its inky black color and high ABV. It also has a funky aroma profile that goes away after about a year in bulk.


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## geek (Sep 3, 2015)

I wonder if I am thinking about making the wrong varietal....I will definitely buy a bottle today/tomorrow to taste.

Any other recommendation for a small batch? 
Looking for silky taste and not strong tannins. 

Never made/tried these ones:

Alicante, Grenache, Barbera, Cab Franc, Carignane, Tempranillo


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## JohnT (Sep 3, 2015)

I LOVE petit syrah!! Every vintage I have made has won medals in competition!

I encourage you to give this grape a try! 

Back History: The way I remember it, Petit Sarah really became a cash crop for growers during prohibition. Home wine making for personal consumption was perfectly legal and many west coast growers stayed afloat by sending grapes to the east coast home winemaking market.

The reason that Petit Syrah became popular is that the grape is thick walled and hold up to travel extremely well, much better than most varietals. On inspection, home winemakers were opting for Petit Syrah and also willing to pay a premium for them.


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## Floandgary (Sep 3, 2015)

Tell ya what I do.... Do a simple Wiki search for any kind of wine/grape that you can spell. Then read all info there is about it. Don't try to remember it all but somewhere in there you will come across an answer to a question you've not even thought of. There are also plenty of discussion sites, some cursory some in depth which can assist in forming an opinion. READ!! The verdict lies with your tastebuds tho, so give whatever you try a chance!!


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## sour_grapes (Sep 3, 2015)

Floandgary said:


> Tell ya what I do.... Do a simple Wiki search for any kind of wine/grape that you can spell.



And, apparently, based on the spellings of Petite Sirah here, this works for any grape that you CAN'T spell, too.


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## NorCal (Sep 3, 2015)

Never understood why Petite Syrah is feminine, yet Petit Verdot is masculine. Girly vs Manly grapes?


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## pjd (Sep 3, 2015)

I adore Petite Sirah! I love it on its own and when blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Very deep, tannic, bold wine. It defines bold dry reds!


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## JohnT (Sep 3, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> And, apparently, based on the spellings of Petite Sirah here, this works for any grape that you CAN'T spell, too.



Ok, ok, I caint spelle


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## ibglowin (Sep 3, 2015)

Little secret neither can physicist......


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## sour_grapes (Sep 3, 2015)

ibglowin said:


> Little secret neither can physicist......



Uuuhhhmmm, were you directing that at anyone in particular?


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## ibglowin (Sep 3, 2015)

Absolutely not!


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## sour_grapes (Sep 3, 2015)

ibglowin said:


> Little secret neither can physicist......



Interestingly, the only group that scores higher than physicists on the GRE math part is mathematicians, and the only groups that score higher than physicists on the verbal part are philosophers and English majors.

Tell you what, let's go through old posts and find spelling errors for chemists and physicists. The good news: Greg is on your team. The bad news: I count greengrocers' apostrophes as spelling errors!


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## ColemanM (Sep 3, 2015)

I am getting two must buckets from m&m of petite Syrah. Can't wait. Had a bottle the other day and realized that I'd be waiting at least 3 years for this one [emoji24]


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## ibglowin (Sep 3, 2015)

@sour_grapes 

Physicist think they have the answers, Chemist actually know the answers......


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## tonyt (Sep 3, 2015)

I just watched three episodes of Big Bang Theory tonight, you guys are funnier.


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## sour_grapes (Sep 3, 2015)

ibglowin said:


> @sour_grapes
> 
> Physicist think they have the answers, Chemist actually know the answers......



Why are you using the writing style of Chinese fortune cookies?


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## mcorey (Sep 4, 2015)

I don't have much experience with petite sirah either. However I tried a few bottles I bought from the store and was impressed.

So this year I ordered 8 lugs from MM. I wanted them from Lanza vineyards but they were sold out. So they are coming from paso Robles. I intend to blend with 10% zin


Sent from my iPhone 



Mixttibsk


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## DoctorCAD (Sep 4, 2015)

tonyt said:


> I just watched three episodes of Big Bang Theory tonight, you guys are funnier.


 

My favorite physics quote from that show...

Penny asks Leonard What's new in the world of Physics? 
Leonard says Nothing! 
Penny says Oh well, I'm sure things will pick up!


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## ibglowin (Sep 4, 2015)

I’m not crazy, my mother had me tested......


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## JohnT (Sep 4, 2015)

Bazinga!!!! 

A couple of mine...

Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and as it always has, rock crushes scissors.


*Leonard:* You'll never guess what just happened.
*Sheldon:* You went out in the hallway, stumbled into an inter-dimensional portal, which brought you 5,000 years into the future, where you took advantage of the advanced technology to build a time machine, and now you're back, to bring us all with you to the year 7010, where we are transported to work at the think-a-torium by telepathically controlled flying dolphins? 
*Leonard:* No. Penny kissed me.
*Sheldon:* Who would ever guess that?


*Sheldon:* A neutron walks into a bar and asks how much for a drink. The bartender replies "for you, no charge".


*Sheldon*: I think that you have as much of a chance of having a sexual relationship with Penny as the Hubble telescope does of discovering at the center of every black hole is a little man with a flashlight searching for a circuit breaker.


*Sheldon:* You know it just occurred to me, if there are an infinite number of parallel universes, in one of them there's probably a Sheldon who doesn't believe parallel universes exist. 
*Leonard:* Probably. What's your point?
*Sheldon:* No point. It's just one of those things that makes one of the me's chuckle.


*Sheldon:* You may have gone to Cambridge but I'm an honorary graduate of Starfleet Academy.


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## geek (Sep 5, 2015)

Decided on the Petite Syrah.

BM45 or ICV-D254 but leaning towards the BM45.


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## DAB (Sep 8, 2019)

JohnT said:


> I LOVE petit syrah!! Every vintage I have made has won medals in competition!
> 
> I encourage you to give this grape a try!
> 
> ...



JohnT,

What yeast strain do you use for your Petit Sirah? I'm going to give this one a try this season with about 15-20 gallons. BM45, SYR, ICV-D254, RP15(VQ15), ICV-D80, AMH, ICE-GRV? 

Thank you for any help you can provide.
Dab


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## mainshipfred (Sep 8, 2019)

I made my first PS last fall. It is very tannic but not to the point I wouldn't make a single out of it. I'm to attempting a PS/PV/Zin blend but haven't come up with the right one.
FWIW did you notice I abbreviated since contractors can't spell but we're pretty good at math.


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