Thirsty Thursdays (4)

Welcome to the third installment of Thirsty Thursdays! Every week I will select a wine and review it. (There will be no consistent rhyme or reason for picking the wine; presume I chose each bottle on a whim. And, no, I am not receiving compensation for these reviews). I will rate the wine on a four glass rubric because a properly poured glass of wine is 6.25 oz, ensuring that each 750 ml bottle fills four glasses. (This haphazard logic makes sense, right?!)…

Okay - so now that I am going back to work, I must rework this whole thing. You will be receiving the quick and dirty versions of Thirsty Thursdays. I hope you don't mind! 

A reminder in how one should taste her wine:

A proper Wine Tasting starts with smelling the wine. This process looks ridiculous! You take a brief first sniff, then pull the glass away and swirl it like a snob, (look for legs, viscosity, colour, etc.) then stick your big noggin right in there and inhale like it’s your last breath. And THEN you take the first sip, and pull it through your teeth. Also looks ridiculous! Swallow. (Sounds obvious I know…).Take your second sip. During this sip, you swoosh the wine like it is toothpaste you’re trying to wash out of your mouth. Please don’t spit it out, though, unless there’s a bucket and you’re expected to! Finally, that third sip you hold on to and savor – and finally…swallow. It is this final sip that tells for sure if the wine is going to be good.

This week I will present a few wines:

1. Concannon Petite Sirah 2005.

Region: Central Coast, California - though it originated in Durif Regions of France (Professional Friends of Wine).

Price Point: $12.00 American.

Tasting Notes: Nose: Cranberry, asparagus tips, white pepper, bacon fat, and loganberry.

Taste: Huge cranberry component that’s been mixed with white pepper, rhubarb, blueberry and blackberry pie with crust. Decent finish and mouth-feel make this wine a pretty good value-play at the prices you can usually find it for in your local grocery store – around $12. (Wine Foot)

Food Pairings: works well with hearty red meats

The Petit Sirah is a YUMMY full bodied red wine with a sweet and spicy aroma and a hint of cherry in its finish. While its name indicates its relation to the Syrah, it is a very different grape variety. I have read that the Petite Sirah is, contrary to its name, a very bold wine. That said, I did not find this wine bold. It has an even, constant aroma and flavour. It is a good wine to serve to those who are unsure and less daring tasters. It is very good.

I would say this is a winter wine - I imagine being in a chalet post ski trip (likely inspired by my friend, le's trip to Quebec two weeks ago -- I am still jealous). I picture jb and i feasting on lamb shanks, mashed potatos and other root veg. We are by the fire, chatting about our day's adventures! Our surroundings are all things wooden and earthy - the cabin theme. We are lapping up the warmth of the fire; the atmosphere; and we are feeling euphoric over that one too many glasses of wine. Luckily, we only have to trip our way back to our chalet by foot. Ah l'amore.

At least that's how I imagine the wine COULD be enjoyed.

Rating: 3.5 out of four red wine/ Petite Sirah goblets

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