Gold Medal, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition   Silver Medal, 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition!

"A definite 2 thumbs up as El Jefe & Co. rock the house again !!! Decanted for 1 hour...intense aromas...very smooth... and dry... and a long lingering finish...I think the DUDE would like this one!" - NY Pete on Wine Library TV Forums

"The nose of this Petite Sirah is dominated by plum and underscored by subtler baker’s spice and cedar notes. The flavors from the first sip on are of deep, dark, brooding fruit. Blueberry is the focal point of the mid-palate. Once this wine opens up (decanting is recommended) it’s a smooth, silky Petite Sirah with medium tannins but no rough edges to speak of. Vanilla and white pepper dot the finish nicely. The fruit on this wine is pretty big and fairly bold, but not overwhelmingly so. There is also a nice balance to it. I had this with a Blue-Cheese Burger with caramelized onions and it matched up perfectly." - Gabe on Gabe's View

Food Pairings: Steak and Eggs! Any grilled meat, even SPAM! or bacon... mmmm, bacon... and of course french toast and custard donuts... mmmm, donuts...

750 ml     $24.00  Geek Sheet Data for 2005 Calaveras County Petite Sirah

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Tasting Notes Aromas of your rich uncle’s old cedar cigar box blend smoothly into plum and blueberry explosions. When the fruit bombing stops you are left with a creamy smooth sensation of vanilla and cream. It’s like Grandma’s egg nog, Christmas Eve: nutmeg, cloves, allspice. There are some pert and supple tannins you’ll definitely want to hang with and let soften in the glass. A wine that leaves you smiling seductively, on the inside... Production Notes This Petite Sirah comes from the Salt Springs valley in Calaveras.  It is an early ripener with great natural tannin structure that does not inhibit the darker ripe fruit characters.  The 2005 growing season started with a late bloom followed by a fairly average warming season which enabled us to acclimate the vines to the intense summer in this warm region.  The fruit load was thinned to a projected 2.5 tons per acre, quite a small crop for these rich deep soils.  To achieve full maturation of fruit without sacrificing natural acidity, we harvested this in the middle of September.     TECHNICAL NITTY GRITTY Varietals & Vineyards:100% Petite Sirah from Frog's Tooth VineyardHarvest Date:September 25th, 2005Oak Program:25% new American oak20% one year old American oak15% two year old American oak40% neutral oak