2013 Parducci Petite Sirah “Small Lot Blend”

I have always felt that Petite Sirah was highly underrated.  The small grapes which grow in tight clusters often produce wines that are deep, dark, and generously tannic.  For this reason, the grape is often used in blends in order to add structure, color, and give the wines a tannic backbone.

Parducci’s “Small Lot Blend” Petite Sirah from Mendocino County is a youthful and vibrant expression of the grape.  The 95% Petite Sirah/5% Zinfandel wine has a nose of dried blackberries, wet Earth, and black pepper.  The palate is dry and full of coating and chewy tannins.  Flavors of dark fruits and baking spices give way to a clean and satisfying finish with noticeable acidity.

This is a food wine that calls for fattier red meat dishes like pot roast or a NY Strip, or something with a rich sauce such as chicken mole or pasta Bolognese.  This would also work beautifully with a creamy mushroom risotto, and can carry over into the dessert course to accompany dishes like chocolate torte and blueberry pie.  I feel the need to mention more food pairings than I normally would because this wine has all the markers of a good food wine: tannin, acid, and a good balance of fruit to Earth flavors.

While ready to drink now, and better if allowed to open for a good hour or two, I think this wine would age well into the next ten years.  There is a good balance of fruit to tannin to acid here.

Vivino users give this wine a friendly 3.5 rating with an average price of $14.  Wine Spectator rated it 87 points and Wine Enthusiast gave it a score of 90 along with a “Best Buy” designation.  Costco sells the wine for $8.99 which I think is a tremendous value.

If you live in Texas or Louisiana, this wine should be in stock at one of your local Costco clubs.

13.5% ABV

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points

This wine was received as a sample for the purpose of writing this review.  All reviews are written at the discretion of the individual reviewer.  Opinions of the reviewer do not necessarily reflect those of CostcoWineBlog.com as a whole, and reviewers are not paid for their reviews by wineries or their affiliated distributors.  We at CostcoWineBlog.com believe that wine preferences and opinions are often subjective and highly individualistic.  Our scores are based on our individual perception of a wine and how well it reflects the area in which the grapes are grown, the expression of the grapes, and also the quality of the finished product.  We remind readers that we are 100% independent of Costco Wholesale Corporation, and are simply of a group of Costco wine fans looking to try new wines and share our favorites with this community.