TN: 1979 Fetzer Special Reserve Petite Sirah, Mendocino

An absolutley stunning Petite Sirah!! Has to be my WOTY so far!!

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Thanks for the note Rich. I wonder which Mendocino vineyard was responsible for this wine ā€¦ and if this vineyard still exists?

Iā€™ve had very old Petites from Turley and Ridge and know that well aged Petite can be astonishingly great.

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No problem Mike! And I just looked at the bottle and thereā€™s a complete writeup on the back that I failed to post (oops!)ā€¦but it doesnā€™t name the exact vineyard. Just says that itā€™s adjacent from the Ricetti Vineyard?? Any guesses??
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Excellent tasting note, Rich!

I believe that the ā€œOlson Vineyardā€ in Redwood Valley can be found in mentioned in two Ukiah Daily Journal articles, one from 1985, the other 1988 (that you can only read in-person at the Sonoma County Wine Library).

Check this article for details on a Fetzer property that was proposed to become a marijuana production site (Bel Arbres Dr in Redwood Valley):

I will see if I can figure out the precise location, and whether the vines are still in the ground.

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Love it Drew! I figured if Tom Hill didnā€™t know, youā€™d probably be able to figure it out [cheers.gif]

That vineyard overlooks lake Mendocino on the north side of hwy 20. Dennis Fife bought the vineyard after the Olsenā€™s had it and made some wines there. Donā€™t really know whatā€™s going on there now.

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Nice Casey - really appreciate it! Would be very interested in trying other wines from this vineyard, as this bottle was really impressive!

Thanks Casey! Trust a local to have the skinny!


So itā€™s not Don Olsonā€™s old site but David Olsonā€™s old site.

According to a Mendo Wine blog profile of Simaine Cellars by Lark Coryell:

ā€œā€¦David Olson at Olson Vineyards, in Redwood Valley, which eventually became Fifeā€¦ā€

Olson Vineyards ā†’ Konrad Winery ā†’ Fife Cellars ā†’ ???



The AVA has experienced some ups and downs over the past few decades*. I hope the current increase of bottlings from small producers using quality Redwood Valley fruit continues.

*Hereā€™s a somewhat depressing overview of the Redwood Valleyā€™s recent history:

The Anderson Valley Advertisor
ā€œThe Vineyards Of Redwood Valleyā€

by Darren Delmore
August 8, 2012

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Fetzer made some nice Zinfandels from vineyards in that part of Mendocino county back around that same time.

-Al

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Yep, including Lolonis, Ricetti and Scharffenberger vineyards.

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Love the AVA article!

wow amazing picture / story.

unf the worst corked bottle i ever had was a fetzer sundial chard sometime in the 90sā€¦legit had to open all the kitchen windows to air it outā€¦

not that sundial is a wine weā€™d normally buy/consume, but still get those flashbacks everytime i get within a few feet of one while walking in a grocery store!

petit sirah always seems to have this chewy, chunky feel to me.

The chunky tannins and acidity are what help them live for a very long time. We opened a 1965 Concannon Petite Sirah during harvest at Harrington a few years ago, and it was in amazing shape (and no longer chewy or chunky).

-Al

maybe the PS vineyards need to market the stuff as ā€˜do not open til xmas (2050)ā€™

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Al, the Ricetti Zin was excellent as well in the 1970s

Yes, that was one of their three higher end Zinfandel vineyards in Mendo (see Truettā€™s post).

-Al

The reputation for not evolving or needing forever to age come from the early rustic varietal bottlings. Winemakers experiment, observe and learn. We went through an era where many picked late and oaked them up to make ā€œhedonisticā€ PS that many adored. These days people are making savory ā€œnormally ripeā€ PS that are akin to cool climate Syrah, other than the fruit character, The Ridge PS offerings from Lytton Springs and Geyserville that Iā€™ve had on release over the last decade had a lightness of body and fruit, and an appropriately moderate level of tannin, so were ready to go. Their offerings from York Creek over the same period still needed serious time, to offer a contrast. Site and choice, I suppose. Iā€™ve mentioned a one off Savannah-Chanel PS from Manton Valley, which is volcanic soil. Soft tannin and very floral. Served blind, it was obviously something Italian.

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I was just going to say, I also snagged a 75 Fetzer Ricetti zin that Iā€™m now looking forward to opening. Not sure if it will be drinking as well as this PS, but only one way to find out [cheers.gif]

Wow, thatā€™s brutally bad buddy! Thankfully never had a bottle that badly corkedā€¦but I donā€™t know if I could open another after that!

Itā€™s funny you should say thatā€¦


ā€œā€¦For devotees of the inky black purple, highly concentrated oaky, hippopotamic style of wines, Fetzer produces a limited amount of 1978 Special Reserve petite sirah ($9.99), which has extraordinary concentration and high tannins, making it a good bet for drinking around the year 2000, if not laterā€¦ā€.