2018 Petite Sirah Bacigalupi Vineyard

Tasting Note
The 2018 Bacigalupi Petite Sirah immediately stains the glass with opaque purple/black color.  Aromas of fresh cracked black pepper, star anise, and ripe blackberries lead to a broad, firm mouthfeel featuring muscular tannins.  Smoky dried chiles, crushed plum, and Indian spices mingle together on the polished finish.

Winemaking Notes
A historic wine growing family, the Bacigalupis contributed fruit to the wine that famously won the 1976 Paris Tasting, beating French wines at their own competition and staking a claim for California as a high quality producer.  Today, the Bacigalupi family continues to farm in the Russian River Valley with love and incredible attention to detail.  As one of the caretakers of their legacy it is my honor to make wines that reflect the special place that they have created.

For Petite Sirah specifically, making it is like taming a wild animal. It’s big, loud, and dangerous.  In the cellar, our job is to teach it some manners and train it, but not too much.  Wild is kind of fun.

The Vintage
The 2018 vintage at Bacigalupi Vineyard was very moderate, which allowed ample hang time to develop complex flavors and fully ripe skins, which is incredibly important for making dark, extracted Petite.  As always, the incredible work by Pam and John Bacigalupi set the stage for a delicious wine to be made!