Petite Sirah
Definition - What does Petite Sirah mean?
Petite Sirah is a red wine made from dark, almost black grapes which are known to make full-bodied wines with dark fruit character. It is a wine with big tannin, making it ideal for barrel-aging and blending. As a single varietal wine it has signature aromas and flavors of blueberries, plums and black berries. Despite its almost sweet big fruit character, it also is known to be a well-balanced acidic wine.
WineFrog explains Petite Sirah
Petite Sirah is also known as Durif. In the 1860s the botanist, François Durif crossed the Syrah grape with Peloursin. The result made grapes with small berries with thick skins which are resistant to downy mildew.
Petite Sirah is a deep red, almost opaque wine which can be found made in many wine-making regions; California, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Israel and Mexico.
For the ideal enjoyment of a Petite Sirah wine, it is recommended to serve it around 63-65 degrees F so that one can enjoy its mineral and floral elements along with its robust fruit character. It is best to decant the wine and leave it in the decanter for a couple of hours or more before consumption.
The wine pairs well with grilled meats with barbecue sauce, roasted duck, hamburgers and smoked meats. It will also go well with some Asian cuisine like sweet and sour pork and Mongolian beef. For vegetarians, try dishes with slow-roasted root vegetables and wild mushrooms with a red wine (Petite Sirah) sauce reduction.
