Petite Sirah

	Varietals:	100% Petite Sirah
	Vineyard:	Vyborny's vineyard
	Appellation:	Sonoma County
	Sub Appellation:	Alexander Valley
	Fermentation:	Open Top
	Wood:	French and American Oak
	Aging:	23 Months Oak Aging

WINEMAKER NOTES: The deep, rich color and aromas beckon you to taste this well-balanced, robust wine. Velvety tannins frame delicious flavors of ripe plum, mocha and toasty oak. Full-bodied with luscious fruit, this Petite Sirah pairs well with a hearty meal or a decadent dessert.

Alex Vyborny's vineyard, located in the heart of the Alexander Valley, is the source of Deux Amis' 2003 Petite Sirah. The terraced, low yielding vineyard produces incredibly intense and rich fruit year after year.

Harvesting generally commences in September and runs through October. Once the grapes are received at the winery they are crushed into open topped fermenters that hold from one-half to five tons. During fermentation the grapes are punched down three times daily for optimum flavor and color extraction. Following a 7-10 day fermentation, the wine is pressed into stainless steel tanks where it is allowed to briefly settle before being racked into small oak barrels.

Petite Sirah: Petite Sirah is a grape whose origins and the spelling of its name have been a subject of conversation. We now know that most of the Petite Sirah in California is actually a grape called Durif with most of the rest being Peloursin. The Durif grape was developed in France in the late 1800s by Dr. Durif by crossing Syrah and Peloursin. Over time since the Syrah grape was brought from the Rhone River Valley of France in about 1870 and called Petite Sirah, the Petite Sirah name has become almost a catch-all name for old red grape vines in California that were not otherwise identifiable. It is only since we have been able to use DNA testing to properly identify grape varieties that we have been able to unravel the mystery of Petite Sirah

The Petite Sirah grape grows in very tight bunches and is susceptible to rot. In growing regions without much rainfall (like California) this does not represent a problem. In areas with rain during the growing season, it practically disqualifies the grape. Under the right conditions, Petit Sirah can make strong red wines with peppery flavors.

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