Carica

2008 Petite Sirah

Sonoma County

$36.00 a bottle

I recently found this special bottle that changed my whole opinion on Petite Sirahs. I have never really enjoyed Petite Sirahs because they always seemed just a bit too ferocious in style and extremely enormous to drink without food. I am a Cabernet lover and love big bold structured wines but also want to be able to enjoy the bottle on its own without food. Petite Sirahs always just seemed a little too much for my tastes. Shockingly a few weeks ago when I met owner and winemaker Charlie Dollbaum of Carica Wines his Petite Sirah blew me away. His Petite Sirah is Rich and intense yet enticingly elegant. So Vibrant with layers of flavors and ready to drink now with or without food.

While conversing with Charlie that afternoon I was excited to learn that these Petite Sirah grapes come from Sonoma County’s Kirk Ranch Vineyards located right in my backyard of Rincon Valley, Santa Rosa, California. Kirk Ranch Vineyard is located on the Sonoma side of Spring Mountain, on the most eastern side of Santa Rosa. Charlie has been making wine from small premium lots since 2005. Making single vineyard wines, Carica also produces Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah.

Carica’s Petite Sirah is deep sexy purple in color. This wine has aromas of seductive huge dark cherry, slight plum and bark. Tasting first a creamy candied black cherry and finishing with a flirtatious black pepper and lingering cinnamon stick. Carica’s Petite Sirah was definitely a “wow” wine for me. Ready to drink now unlike most 2008 Petite Sirahs. This wine is not tight and showing its fruit beautifully.