The variety known in California as Petite Sirah has its origins in France where it is called Durif. It was named after Dr. Durif who propagated it from a cross of Peloursin and Syrah in 1880. Only in the U.S. is the variety called Petite Sirah – elsewhere in the world it is called by its correct and original name Durif. Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard has worked with this variety since 1977.

The grapes for this wine come from the appellation of San Antonio Valley in southwestern Monterey County. This high valley, west of Highway 101, is well suited to slightly warmer climate grape varieties. The block that these grapes come from is on top of a well-drained, shale-covered hill.

We process our Petite Sirah differently than many of our other wines. The variety is famous for over-extracting tannins, often making wines of great fruit intensity, but commonly having a lot of astringency. When the grapes are processed they are only de-stemmed, not crushed at all. We de-stem them into small, one-ton lot fermentation bins. By not crushing the berries we release fewer of the harsh tannins during fermentation. Then we carefully taste the newly fermented wine after it's done fermenting but still on the skins to determine the best time to press for tanning balance.

The 2021 vintage was the perfect growing season creating deep wild berry fruit character along with smoky, peppery spiciness. This is a wine to enjoy with hearty comfort foods like stews, roasts, and rich pasta sauces. We suggest giving it some time in a decanter to wake up everything lurking inside or cellar it for a few more years.