Wine Last Sold on: September 29, 2012
Petroni Vineyards
Featured Wine:
2007 Petroni Vineyards Syrah
| Varietal: | Syrah |
| Region: | California: Sonoma Valley |
| Availability: | Final Allocation |
| Avg. Price: | $40.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $30.00 |
website
Mission Codename: Love's Obsession
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- Infiltrate Petroni Vineyards, and secure their stellar 2007 Estate Grown Syrah, a wine that has been causing quite a stir among our Syrah faithful. Secure an ample allocation for our Syrah-loving Operatives.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Martin Mackenzie
Final Assessment
Today’s 2007 Petroni Estate Grown Syrah is one of the finest we have sampled in some time! We absolutely adore this juicy, complex, balanced wine.
A little shy, at first, this wine really springs to life with just a little swirling. The wine becomes more flavorful, more aromatic and more delicious. A true delight for the senses, this wine really impressed our entire tasting panel. We reject our share of wines, but we are especially picky when it comes to Syrah. Today’s wine passed our rigorous tests with flying colors. Dark, juicy, delicious, flying colors.
Please remember that the 2007 vintage was the best on record in more than a decade. Robert Parker, Jr. gave the entire Northern California vintage a stunning 96 Point Score. Whenever we showcase a 2007, we encourage you to really consider the offering carefully.
Pair this food-friendly wine with a nice thick steak. Just don’t miss out…
Tasting Profile
Dark magenta, with a clear and slightly darker heart. At the edge of the glass, the wine shows pure ruby red. After swirling, tall, widely-spaced legs run slowly downward.
Dark and sweet, with big aromas of mixed blackberry and blueberry jam, spiced black cherry and raspberry preserves. After the wine opens up, aromas of black licorice, cigar box, brown spice and oak appear.
Fast and lightweight across the front of the palate, the wine slowly take on some weight at the mid and rear palate. As it settles onto the palate, integrated tannins combine with a fine acidity to give the wine a very plush overall feel.
Delicious and bold, with dark mixed berry preserves, black licorice, dark plum, tobacco leaf, cassis and braised fig. After a few minutes of swirling (we prefer this to silly old decanting) the wine really opens up, revealing additional flavors of bramble, dark cocoa, dark brown spice, black pepper and toasty oak are revealed.
Very long and packed with dark flavors. Long lingering black fruit flavors gradually yield to spice, tobacco leaf, cigar box and black pepper. As flavors fade, a dark, mineral loaded dryness spreads from the front of the palate, rearward.
What the Winery Says
Vineyards
The Petroni Vineyards 2007 Syrah is grown on two blocks of our terraced, Estate property. The first block is situated on the lower, gentler southeast facing slope towards the eastern edge of the vineyard, giving the wine subtle richness and depth. The second block is our most picturesque part of the property as the vines root on steep, south-facing volcanic slopes offering a different dimension to the wine.
Tasting Notes
A deep, dark Syrah with a purple crimson edge. Generously aromatic including crushed dark cherries, blackberry, licorice, spice and floral notes with a nice savory aspect to it. Good weight and intensity on the palate, with a food-friendly, acid-tannin balance creating a softness but also remaining lively on the finish. The fruit is complemented with savory and spice notes, balanced and complex the wine holds one’s attention as it lingers on the palate. A nice combination of the rustic and savory characters reminiscent of the Rhone and the rich fruit tannins typical of California.
Varietal
100% Syrah
Appellation
Sonoma Valley, Ca
Aging
Sixteen months in new and used French Oak
Alcohol
14.5%
About the Winery
First the land was cleared, grape cuttings from Montalcino and Tuscan olive trees were secured and the terraces and vineyard blocks were laid out over 14 acres using volcanic rocks from the property to build the retaining walls and provide an optimal 100% organic farming environment. The mobile home was removed and in its place, a villa rose above the small winery. Italian and American flags were raised at the gates and the Poggio alla Pietra (Hill of Rocks) estate was born.
After selling the fruit the first few years, the first estate wine was produced in 1998. In addition to Brunello di Sonoma, the winery also produces miniscule amounts of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as well as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and the 100% certified organic estate extra virgin olive oil. So the story unfolds and the dream grows closer to being realized with more exciting developments on the horizon…
Lorenzo Petroni runs the famous North Beach Restaurant, considered by many a San Francisco institution, and has proudly served authentic Tuscan cuisine to San Franciscans and world-citizens since 1970. North Beach Restaurant has a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list with a selection of over 400 wines from all over the world. Lorenzo’s experience and understanding of wine, combined with an organic grape-growing philosophy with minimal intervention in the cellar and a faith in Sonoma Valley as a premium winegrowing region is the driving force behind Petroni Vineyards.
