WTN: 2002 Chateau Montelena Petite Sirah

[David M. Bueker]

I had no idea that Montelena made Petite Sirah until I went digging around in my dad’s cellar.

• 2002 Chateau Montelena Petite Sirah - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/6/2023)
  Suspended animation is possible. Just have your body preserved in a barrel of Petite Sirah. Seriously, if you told me that this was a 2021 I would not be shocked. Still tons of dark, plummy fruit, and boatloads of tannin to make it appear like a young wine. Aromatics are gorgeous though, combining black plum and cassis fruit, florals, new leather, and a hint of garrigue, as if a little corner of Southwest France had snuck into Napa. The quantity of fruit and tannin on the palate again suggest a much younger wine, and if I am lucky to live long enough I will not drink my dad’s last bottle of this until it’s 50 years post-vintage.

I don't really have a sense of Petite Sirah, but my limited experience matches this description- holds without real development. The 70s Ridge York bottlings are only exception.
Nice to have something of your dad's that you can hold for a long time,

I didn't know that they made P.S. either! It doesn't surprise me that whatever they make will be of good quality, they just always were in my mind a cab and chard shop, although I checked their site and they do have a zin, a riesling and a sauv blanc.

Found this on their site: https://montelena.com/wp-content/upload ... -Sirah.pdf

From a later vintage, it at least details their thoughts on that varietal. Now I am thinking that I might put a Turley on my drinking list, but that would be a far cry from the sort of wine you described.

[David M. Bueker]

Bill - I am likely schlepping home a moderately large vertical of Turley Hayne Petite Sirah either at Christmas or in March of 2023.

I didn't know they did a petite sirah, either. These days they are doing cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and riesling.

-Paul W.

Bill - I am likely schlepping home a moderately large vertical of Turley Hayne Petite Sirah either at Christmas or in March of 2023.

Too bad you don't live up this way - I still have a bottle of the 1997 Hayne!

For anyone interested, with global warming we up here in BC are able to grow varietals we never could have used even 20 years ago. Petit Sirah is one of them - Kettle Valley does a creditable version (I have four vintages and should think about doing a vertical tasting some time).

[David M. Bueker]

The 1997 Hayne has been a bit of a white whale for me. Supposed to have it twice. Both times corked.