Fife Petite Syrah 2002 Redhead Vineyard, Mendocino

Solune Winegrowers 2004 Petite Sirah Winery: Clarksburg $22

Wine Enthusiast 92 points

Gold, Amador County; Bronze, El Dorado County; Silver, State Fair

Definite cherries, black berries and plums were the prominent fruit with a hint of figs. Oak toast showed up as well with vanilla and spice, coffee, some black pepper, smoke, leather and a hint of earthiness. The mouthfeel was somewhat rough and a bit masculine.

The fruit was beautiful: Strawberry, blueberry and light plum. The non-fruit flavors followed with Smoke, toast pepper, slightly earthy and herbaceous.The mouth feel was pure velvet with tannins that were beautifully rounded. The fruit moved to cherries, raisins and blackberries with excellent pepper, oak and a bit of chocolate in the finish.

There was a good acid structure to the wine, probably medium plus for a red wine

There was a good acid structure to the wine, a medium plus.

Tannins were pretty big. This is one of those Petites that could easily be laid down for quite some time.

The tannins were present and beautifully rounded adding to a great structure. Enough to Drink now or lay down.

The finish was big on tart fruit, starting with blackberries and moving in to plums and then figs in the end. The finish just went on and on. There was quite a bit of tannin in the finish.

This is an extremely complex wine with delicate intertwined flavors that changed each time you tried it.There was a very nice long finish to this wine that had a lot going on in it. The fruit was what lasted the longest, all the way into the end of the finish.

This is one of those big California Petite Sirah that is probably best with food if you are not a lover of big tannin. If you drink it now let this wine breathe for best results. This is definitely one of those famous Petite Sirahs that will only improve after a few years of aging.

A wonderfully balanced wine, this was the favorite of the panel in all categories. All felt it was a great wine for the price. This is a wine that gets better after a while in the glass and some exposure to air.