Dear Petite Sirah, Have I told you lately that I love you? Well if I haven't I apologize. All kidding aside I realize how much I love this varietal 
every time I open a fine example of it. The reason being that each and every time that happens I think to myself that I don't drink Petite Sirah nearly as often as I should. If you take into account the fact that Petite Sirah already accounts for more than 10% of the reviews I've posted here, you get the idea. Last year I looked at a few releases from Locatelli Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles. Their current release of Petite wasn't ready for release at that time and therefore I didn't review it then.
The Locatelli 2006 Petite Sirah was made from Estate Fruit. Production was limited. The suggested retail price for this wine is $35.
When you pour this wine, the dark, inky hue often associated with Petite Sirah is quite evident. This wine, like the band, is Deep Purple. This Petite is a bit tight out of the bottle and decanting is definitely recommended. Once it opens up, this offering is shot out of a cannon and full of big, bold, juicy flavors. The nose features apricot notes, which quite honestly threw me for a bit of a loop at first. Strangely when you take the first sip, plum and dark berry characteristics take over, the apricot makes sense. This wine is big and rich, full of boisterous dark fruit notes. The finish, especially once this wine has had a chance to breathe, shows explosive earth characteristics that linger in your mouth along with spice notes for a nice long while. As big and bold as this Petite Sirah is, it is has good acidity that keeps it balanced. A wine this big and extroverted wants to be paired with an equally full flavored meal. Braised short ribs or barbecue are two things that come to mind.
What I like best about the Locatelli Petite Sirah is that it reminds me of all the things I love about both Petite Sirah and Paso Robles wines. This is a great example of both and well worth the $35 price tag. Some time in the bottle will likely allow the earthiness to become more prominent. However, this wine is irresitable now .
Look out for another wine from Locatelli next week when I reccoemend Dessert wines for Valentines Day!
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