Concannon Petite Sirah

I was presented an offer I simply could not pass about a week or so ago.  A vendor had given me a great deal on five cases of Concannon wines.  The deal went over so well, we order another five cases the following week.  Now even though they have a great selection of wines and we personally accepted three different varietals, I find their Petite Sirah the most interesting.

For anyone interested, the difference between a Syrah and Petite Sirah is simple.  The Petite Sirah (also known as Durif) is a cross of Syrah and Peloursin grapes.  Although Peloursin is not a very common wine, the grape is commonly scattered throughout the Rhône region of France and southern to middle California.  The cross of the two produes a sweet and spicy grape that results in oaky wines with a great deal of plum and earthy flavors.

Just to note once again in case you missed it, Petite Sirah is NOT the same as Petite Syrah.  Its a common misunderstanding considering there may be only like a few vineyards that produce Sirah (Durif).

But enough with the history lesson, let's talk about gratuitous consumption of alcohol.

Concannon Petite Sirah
Central Coast
Selected Vineyards
Price: $7.99

The wine at first taste was very dry and just a little bland.  It could have been easily mistaken for a blended Cabernet.  A very strong problem that was easily solved by decanting it for up to thirty minutes.  You could also let it breath for only about five minutes if you have a pour with an aerator.  Letting the sulphur dioxide bleed out and getting some fresh air in it did a world of wonders.  The final product was a wine that was very smooth and slightly sweet paired with deep herbal notes and long silky tannins.

The color of this wine is amazing.  I could tell from the first three ounces in the glass (which were almost black) that is would be a mystifying drink.  It had such depth and complexity that one would normally find in an upper scale red, but the flexibility and comfort of a decent white.  I personally managed to pair this with a meal composed of Asian Spiced Ribs and eccentric tapas like appetizers.  Even against the advice of my peers who all suggested an off-dry riesling, this wine did the job it was supposed to.

Definitely a keeper in my book, and worth a shot for those who want to say they have tasted a truly unique wine.  Once again, even though it is very similar to a Syrah, it is indeed not a Syrah.
Que Sirah, Syrah.
Non.
Le sirah n'est syrah pas.

Deal with it.

~Chuck