After a beautiful day, it’s time to grill some burgers and open a bottle of Artezin’s 2007 Petite Sirah. Artezin has kindly sent me a bottle of their wine as a sample to review. Artezin is part of the Hess family of wines and this Petite Sirah comes from the Ukaih Valley near Lake Mendicino.
About the Wine- From the Winery
Artezin 2007 Petite Sirah was grown in Mendicino County and is a blend of 87% Petite Sirah, 7% Zinfandel, and 6% Charbono. It was harvested in October of 2007 and bottle November 2008. The wine has 13.8% alcohol content and retails for $25. (for more info head to www.ArtezinWines.com)
Now the Fun Part- Tasting the Wine
The Artezin pours dark plum and the nose is very rich. There are aromas of plum, dark cherry, and blackberry. After first taste, I decide to decant the wine for an hour to let it develop a bit. It really smoothes out and is much more enjoyable. The Petite Sirah tastes of blackberry, dark currants, and a hint of tobacco. The dusty tannins are followed by lingering notes of cocoa. I do like the rich, earthy flavor of this wine but it would definitely benefit from a few more years in the bottle. This wine should age nicely with a little more time.
(My Wine Rating- B)