2019 Once and Future Petite Sirah | Palisades Vineyard Calistoga Napa Valley California 750ml

There's a good reason that, until the 1960s, Petite Sirah was the most widely planted grape variety in Napa Valley. As is shown by the few remaining examples, grown in the right places it does very well there, making lovely, evocative wine even darker and spicier than Zinfandel, that other "California grape" from Europe. If Napa had only had the guts to stick with Petite through the renaissance that transformed California wine, it would have been a more distinctive and interesting choice (not to mention better value) upon which to hand one's regional hat than today's dictatorial monarch, Cabernet Sauvignon.
The best evidence is tucked into a narrow riparian canyon just east of the town of Calistoga, at the foot of the magnificent Palisades cliffs. This is Petite Sirah heaven: The cobbly loam soil of the alluvial fan is perfect for the variety. Hot summers, cool westerly morning breezes, extended sunlight and adequate winter rainfall bless the fruit with exceptional concentration and depth. Viticulture here dates back to 1878, when James Horn, a settler from Scotland, first planted grapes; in 1908, Domenico and Gilda Barberis, recent arrivals from Italy, planted more vines along Horn's Creek. Seven years later, they established "Bonded Winery Number 118" on the site.
Sadly, despite a capacity of more than 20,000 gallons, the winery didn't survive Prohibition, closing down in 1932. The vineyard, however, survived. Continuing to farm it until 1992, Domenico and Gilda's son Frank planted Petite on St. George rootstock in 1968 and again in the mid-70s. In the 90s the property was bought by Anne Carver and Denis Sutro who farmed the property, preserved the Petite Sirah, and as importantly, preserved the beautiful character of the Palisades by putting the 500 acres directly below the massif into a land trust. In 2015 Felicia Woytak and her husband Steven Rasmussen, who thankfully had the soul and character (not unlike petite itself) to ignore the prevailing commercial formula, choosing to respect and preserve the site's heritage. Committed to organic horticulture, they've retained Jim Munk to manage the place's traditional dry farming and head-trained viticulture. The Barberis would no doubt be pleased; I am overjoyed.
The 2019 Palisades is dark, almost black with a youthful purple edge. Blackberry, spice, violet floral notes and hints of black Tellicherry pepper are pervasive in the aroma of this wine. This is a big, rich, sumptuous wine with mouth filling intensity, yet it is harmonious and all of one piece. The finish is long, flavorful and satisfying with ample, but not jarring tannins. This is a lovely wine that will live and grow in sophistication for many years. | Joel Peterson, Once & Future

Joel Peterson. Quite possibly the most interesting man in the [Wine] World. He has been inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. He championed the importance of Heritage and Historic vineyard sites in California. The wines he crafted for his original Ravenswood label made this the bestselling red Zinfandel brand in the world. After 45 years in the wine industry, he's back with a return to his original vision from many years ago - "a small project specializing in wines from unique older vineyards, made with a sensitivity to place and in a style that I personally love and believe in." Joel further details this vision as "Wines that force me to dust off the old redwood vats and get out a new punch down tool [my original is in the Smithsonian], wines that dye my hands a harvest shade of black/purple and sometimes force me to take an additional Ibuprofen in the morning. In short - wines of sweat, commitment, and love." Those wines are here, now, with Once & Future. | Falling Bright