The Millennials of today will be Boomers (or some other name) tomorrow. They will be purchasing wine which may be of a different price point and variety (perhaps the Moscato craze will have waned!) than what they are doing now. Thanks to wine blogs and websites, social media, tastings offered by wine shops, restaurants, wineries and more, those in this demographic are more savvy about this fruit of the vine than ever before and are soon to be if not already well positioned to make some conscious and intelligent choices when purchasing wine. Although many may not be in an income bracket high enough to afford a bottle of wine for $30.00 on a regular basis (and frankly, that’s ok!), I have been impressed with the Millennials I know who truly want to learn more about wine and are taking the steps to do it.
Recently I was sent many sample bottles of California Petite Sirah to taste and review. For those unfamiliar, Petite Sirah is originally from France and originally named Durif…yet it is non-existent in that country now. We can find the grape flourishing in San Luis Obispo, San Joaquin Valley, Napa, and Sonoma in California and in some parts of Washington. Dark in color with full body Petite Sirah is used in blending as well as a variety standing alone.
Being the responsible (ahem) person that I am, I felt that it was the right time to share four of the bottles under $20.00 with seven friends, all of whom are considered members of that darling group of the wine industry, the Millennials. Five of my guests are graduate students in Clinical Psychology, another is a savvy businesswoman, and the last is a former Marine who is about to embark on a career with the federal government. Several had never tasted Petite Sirah and as luck would have it (in a rather planned sort of way!), one was the daughter of a smart guy who is in the winemaking business. Bringing their palate, previous experiences, and points of view to the table were refreshing and enlightening.
After some bubbles and appetizers, dinner of marinated pork tenderloin, couscous, crusty bread, and a rich vegetable dish consisting of tomatoes, cheeses, green chiles, and more was served. Paired successfully with the dinner, lively conversation, and plenty of laughter were three bottles of Petite Sirah. And with an oh-so-rich chocolate cake dessert, a Petite Sirah Port was paired! After each review, I have included the comments of the guests for your enjoyment…
Redtree 2011 Petite Sirah – With aromas of fruit and herbs, this young Petite Sirah was full of strawberries and blackberries on the palate. The tannins were mild yet present, the wine was well balanced, and frankly, for the price of $8.99, this choice is a perfect entry to the world of Petite Sirah. Comments were…
“Amazing! Great for sipping!”
“Delicious, light, and fruity.”
“Fruity with herbs – I love it!”
“Delicious! Very fruity, light, and yummy.”
“My favorite! Perfect for my tastebuds!”
“Very affordable! I’ll buy this.”
“Very fruity, smooth, good. This is almost too fruity.”
Pedroncelli Petite Sirah 2009 – This particular wine includes grapes from the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for seventeen months in American and French oak barrels, the wine was deep purple in the glass and had aromas of cherries and black pepper. The tannins were pronounced and the tastes were of deep red fruits, more pepper, and earth. Cost of this Petite Sirah is $16.00. And the thoughts?
“Good, subtle, complex earth tones.”
“I have to “think” about how all of the flavors go together. I like that!”
“I don’t like the label”
“I didn’t like this one. It was too earthy for me.”
“I really enjoyed the richness of this one.”
“Very rich and earthy with a natural taste. Yum!”
Michael David Petite Petit 2010 – A double dose of small? No way! The blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot was my particular favorite. Aromas and tastes of red fruit but with that black pepper, earth, meat and touch of vanilla blended to create a nicely structured wine with a rich finish. Tannins were evident but not strong and the body and balance were wonderful. Priced at $18.00, this is a keeper. The Millenials weighed in…
“Zesty and interesting.”
“Unique flavors.”
“I loved the blend – not too earthy.”
“My favorite flavors. I loved this wine…rich but not overly heavy.”
“I could taste the fruitiness.”
“Very bold – definitely made a statement!”
“The Elephant wine! I remember the label, but not the wine. It was good but the least memorable.”
“I love the label!”
Field Stone 2009 Staten Family Reserve Vintage Port – Wow! As if the three bottles of Petite Sirah weren’t enough, our lusciously creamy chocolate cake was a delicious pairing with this Port. Estate bottled from the vineyards in Alexander Valley, the Port is a blend of Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Carignane, and Golden Muscat – a blend which has been ongoing for 115 years! Beautiful aromas of dark red fruit, vanilla and rich tastes of the same and an amazing mouthfeel everyone at the table toasted to this Port! Alcohol level is 19% and only 248 cases have been produced. At a cost of $50.00, we were thrilled to enjoy this together! Naturally, these Milliennials thought…
“Unreal…perfect with dessert!”
“WOW! So delicious, sweet, and rich. I adore this!”
“So aromatic and overwhelmingly flavorful!”
“Can I have the whole bottle?”
“Rich and elegant tasting!”
“This is the best Port I have ever had.”
The comments were varied yet thoughtful and you can make your own conclusions which I’d love to hear (send me an email or add a comment). All agreed that the price points of the three Petite Sirahs served with dinner were Millennial-friendly and that label design may be a factor in their purchasing decisions. As far as I’m concerned, wine education is the key…Millennials (and others!) need to continue taking advantage of the opportunities to taste and learn about new wines and pair with them some positive emotional moments! On this particular night, all of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friendship enhanced by some affordable, delicious Petite Sirah…perhaps a new Millennial favorite!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
PS – Thank you!!
