Dutcher Crossing, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) Petite Sirah “Proprietor’s Reserve” 2019 ($39)

You may have heard that it takes a lot of beer to make good wine (that’s what winemakers say, anyway). Well, I happened to meet winemaker Nick Briggs at Russian River Brewing on a brewery tour, which led to a site visit and tasting some good stuff that he makes (reviews coming to WineReviewOnline.com soon), so it was no surprise to see this wine excel when I had a chance to taste it later. This Petite Sirah really shows off its Dry Creek pedigree, with warming pepper tempering the black and blue fruit and subtle earth tones adding depth. Petite Sirah may not be the first thing you think of when seeking a red wine, but you should put this one on your list.
94 Rich Cook