The Name Petite Sirah…

Karen, why is Petite Sirah called petite?  It tastes pretty big to me.

You’re right.  Petite sirah (often spelled petite syrah) is anything but petite.  In fact, it’s muscular, powerful and more tannic than cabernet sauvignon.  Concentrated and almost jet black in color, the varietal has a cult following in the United States.  A cross between (true) syrah and the obscure southern French variety peloursan, petite sirah got its name because of the size of its grapes which tend to be small.  The smaller the grape, the higher the ratio of skins to juice when the grapes are crushed and the wine is being made.  Since a wine’s aromas, flavors, and tannin come from the grapes’ skins (not the pulp), having a lot of skins relative to juice generally means the result will be a powerhouse wine like petite sirah.

— Karen

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