I put these side by side and tasted them to scrawl out the notes below. My father is in town for the holidays and he loves Petite Sirah and with my changed palate, I don’t drink a lot of the varietal anymore unless I am sharing it, and even then only small amounts. The wines are powerful, dark, dense and they are fun but they need to have the right context, at least for me. These are big wines, with density, color and stuffing. The Old Vine, which is made in very small quantities, and I typically buy these, to have them on hand for special occasions, like this week. Happy holidays and thanks for reading.
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2016 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga (11/26/2019)
We opened this last night, and for what it’s worth, Brig tasted the wine with me (he has the preceding tasting note). ABV is listed on the bottle at 17.9%–holy crap. Since he tasted it, the wine got another 12 hours of air, too. Dark like pen ink, stains the glass. This is an enormous wine, and as much as I thought the 2016 regular vintage Switchback was big, this is even more powerful. The regular bottling I believe is mostly the newer vines that are about 20 years old (don’t quote me on that) and the Old Vine block is dry-farmed, head trained and over 50 years old, planted by Kelly’s father. The vines are gnarly and produce very little tonnage but for what comes off the plot, the wine is just stacked. Blueberry and blackberry, which is almost syrupy in tone. There is a blueberry jam note to this wine, then the dark chocolate takes over, along with maple. Huge wine, something you gotta share with people as at least for me, I can’t do much of this stuff. A decadent pleasure. -
2016 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/26/2019)
Bottle open for 3 days, and hell, for the last day just sat on the counter without event the cork in it. Pretty well fleshed out now, but man this is packed with flavor. It coats my palate. Dark, plush fruit, and pretty well smoothed out with level of aeration. And akin to Brig’s note that preceded mine (we tasted from the same bottle), I would agree with his comment about tar. This is also stacked with espresso, dark chocolate and berry compote. Huge wine, and no way I can do more than a glass of it, as it’s a monster but it is fun to have a pour and experience it. ABV on this is listed at 16.5%, too.
Posted from CellarTracker
