Love at First Taste- Petite Sirah

     I had the opportunity to be a wine and cheese server at a venue a few days ago. It was a wonderful experience and I learned even more about wine. In total, there were 7 wines and numerous cheeses. One wine stood out among the rest- the Petite Sirah from Bogle Vineyards. Smooth, easy, soft jammy notes, and a great finish, this wine played a sweet melody on my taste buds. I was in heaven. Especially for someone who is still testing the waters with red wines, I found this one very easy to drink and it paired amazingly well with a toscano cheese. The cheese coated the mouth leaving the fruity notes of the wine exposed- something I value in a wine. This Petite Sirah also paired well with Gouda- one of my favorite cheeses of all time. This wine was not overpowering and did not leave much of an after taste. To the nose, you can definitely detect hints of plum and black current; this is a juicy wine. 

     Resveratrol is the "good stuff" found in the red skin of grapes that has the health benefits that we all hear about. Cancer-fighting, anti-inflamatory, blood-sugar lowering affects have been linked to resveratorl, hence, why everyone wants to drink red wine now. Interestingly enough, I found that the Petite Sirah is among the red grapes that has the highest amount of resveratrol, according to FrenchScout.com. Other red varietals with a lot of resveratrol include: malbec, pinot noir (another favorite) and st. laurent. This wine has been dubbed my "post-workout" wine. In fact, I had a 1/3 a glass of it last night after yoga and paired it with Gouda again. I always make sure to follow my small glass of wine with A LOT of water after a workout but the health benefits of wine make it a good post workout drink (in moderation). As with most red wines, this one pairs well with meaty dishes- I plan on trying it with spaghetti with meat sauce later in the week.

      Overall, I would buy this wine again. This was my first Petite Sirah and I was impressed. The wine was not too earthy or oaky (I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon's to taste like that) but was more on the fruity side and full-bodied. A good wine for a good price. If you are like me and uneasy about overly bold, thick red wines, you should try this one. Below are its pairings: 

source:tayloreason.com

Hue: Red
Bogle Vineyards
Petite Sirah 2009, California
Around $10- great buy!

_________________________________________

Tunes:

1. Paradise Circus
-Massive Attack (because Massive Attack is amazing)

2. Lord Help the Poor and Needy
-Cat Power (because her raspy voice is soothing and relaxing as all get out)