Foppiano, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County) Petite Sirah 2010

Petite Sirah is the red-meat wine of California; when it’s done right a hefty, rich, flavorful red that is an excellent mate for a think steak from the grill, hearty meat stews, and rich meat dishes such as lamb osso buco. Foppiano has long had a deft hand with Petite Sirah, and in recent vintages has mastered the art of extracting all of the flavor and color that Petite has to give without the mouth-puckering tannins that have long kept Petite out of the mainstream of American cuisine. The vintage exhibits lush black fruits, with smooth tannins and a generous whiff of vanilla spice. Yummy stuff. And just in time to fire up the barbecue!