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EspañolDURIF (PETITE SIRAH)
(Redirected from Petite Sirah)
'Durif' is a variety of red wine grape grown in France, California and Australia. It is the main grape known in the US as 'Petite Sirah' with over 90% of the California plantings labeled "Petite Sirah" being Durif grapes.[1] It produces tannic wines with a spicy, plummy flavour. The grape is a cross of Peloursin and Syrah. On some occasions, Peloursin and Syrah vines maybe called Petite Sirah.
The grape is named after François Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier. It was in a vineyard near the university that he discovered the Peloursin berry that contained the first Durif seed in 1880. [2] Syrah was later identified as the source of the pollen in 1997 following DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis. [3]. The grape's high resistance to downy mildew encourage it usage in the early 20th century in areas like Isère and Ardèche though the relative low quality of the resulting wine caused the grape to fall out of favor with the local wine authorities. Today it is almost non-existent in France.[4]
While once popular, the Durif vine now virtually non-existent in France. Australia and California are now the two leading producers of Durif. The grape can also be found in Israel,[5], Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.[6]
Confirmed as recently as 1997, old plantings of Durif continued to be used to produce popular wine in the Rutherglen, Victoria region of Australia. Durif is now grown in other wine regions of Australia, such as Riverina and Riverland, with over 740 acres under cultivation by 2000.
DNA fingerprinting has shown that the majority of Petite Sirah plantings in California to actually be Durif.[7] The vine is a popular planting in Mendocino, Monterey and San Joaquin County. In addition to being produced as a varietal wine, the grape is sometimes blended with Zinfandel. In years when heavy rain or excess sun has weakened the quality or yield of Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir plantings, Petite Sirah will also be used as a blending partner to strengthen the wine. The average age of Petite Sirah vines tend to be older then most Californian vines.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms allows either Petite Sirah or Durif to be used on U.S. wine labels.[8]
While not one of the officially sanctioned grapes of the Côtes du Rhône AOC, Petite Sirah's linking to Durif caused the California's Rhone Rangers to add the grape to its listings of wine in 2002.[9]
Petite Sirah is sometimes mistakenly spelled "Petite Syrah" which has historically referred to the small berries of the Syrah grape by Rhône growers.[10] In California, immigrant vine growers introduced Syrah 1878 and used the phrase "Petite Syrah" to refer to the lower yields that the vines then were producing in Califonia. Actual Petite Sirah (Durif) was then introduced in 1884.
The 'petite' in the name of this grape refers to the size of its berries and not the vine, which is particularly vigorous. The leaves are large with a bright green upper surface and paler green lower surface. The grape forms tightly packed clusters that can be susceptible to rotting in rainy environments. The small berries creates a high skin to juice ratio which can produce very tannic wines if the juice goes through an extended maceration period. In the presence of new oak barrels the wine can develop an aroma of melted chocolate.[11]
Petite Sirah produces dark, inky colored wines that are relatively acidic with firm texture and mouth feel. The bouquet has herbal and black pepper overtones. Compared to Syrah, the wine is noticeably more dark and purplish in color. The wines are very tannic with aging ability that can eclipse 20 years in the bottle.
1. PS I Love You Petite Sirah Timeline
2. Peasant turns prince:Long considered an ignoble grape, Petite Sirah's parentage lifts the variety from working class to nobility
3. Petite Sirah Timeline
4. J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 244 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
5. J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 227 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 1986 ISBN 1857329996
6. J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 514 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
7. O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 88 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
8. Durif Grape Varierty Cellarnotes.net
9. M. Worobiec ''"Petite Sirah Rides Shotgun as Rhone Rangers Trot Into Town"'' Wine Spectator April 30, 2002
10. O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 168 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
11. J. Laube ''"Petite's Road Back"'' Wine Spectator Jan 31st, 2004
★ Petite Sirah Advocacy Association
★ Appellation America Varietal Info
'Durif' is a variety of red wine grape grown in France, California and Australia. It is the main grape known in the US as 'Petite Sirah' with over 90% of the California plantings labeled "Petite Sirah" being Durif grapes.[1] It produces tannic wines with a spicy, plummy flavour. The grape is a cross of Peloursin and Syrah. On some occasions, Peloursin and Syrah vines maybe called Petite Sirah.
| Contents |
| History |
| Regional production |
| Australia |
| USA |
| Petite Sirah and Petite Syrah |
| Viticulture |
| Wine |
| References |
| External links |
History
The grape is named after François Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier. It was in a vineyard near the university that he discovered the Peloursin berry that contained the first Durif seed in 1880. [2] Syrah was later identified as the source of the pollen in 1997 following DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis. [3]. The grape's high resistance to downy mildew encourage it usage in the early 20th century in areas like Isère and Ardèche though the relative low quality of the resulting wine caused the grape to fall out of favor with the local wine authorities. Today it is almost non-existent in France.[4]
Regional production
While once popular, the Durif vine now virtually non-existent in France. Australia and California are now the two leading producers of Durif. The grape can also be found in Israel,[5], Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.[6]
Australia
Confirmed as recently as 1997, old plantings of Durif continued to be used to produce popular wine in the Rutherglen, Victoria region of Australia. Durif is now grown in other wine regions of Australia, such as Riverina and Riverland, with over 740 acres under cultivation by 2000.
USA
DNA fingerprinting has shown that the majority of Petite Sirah plantings in California to actually be Durif.[7] The vine is a popular planting in Mendocino, Monterey and San Joaquin County. In addition to being produced as a varietal wine, the grape is sometimes blended with Zinfandel. In years when heavy rain or excess sun has weakened the quality or yield of Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir plantings, Petite Sirah will also be used as a blending partner to strengthen the wine. The average age of Petite Sirah vines tend to be older then most Californian vines.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms allows either Petite Sirah or Durif to be used on U.S. wine labels.[8]
While not one of the officially sanctioned grapes of the Côtes du Rhône AOC, Petite Sirah's linking to Durif caused the California's Rhone Rangers to add the grape to its listings of wine in 2002.[9]
Petite Sirah and Petite Syrah
Syrah grapes
Petite Sirah is sometimes mistakenly spelled "Petite Syrah" which has historically referred to the small berries of the Syrah grape by Rhône growers.[10] In California, immigrant vine growers introduced Syrah 1878 and used the phrase "Petite Syrah" to refer to the lower yields that the vines then were producing in Califonia. Actual Petite Sirah (Durif) was then introduced in 1884.
Viticulture
The 'petite' in the name of this grape refers to the size of its berries and not the vine, which is particularly vigorous. The leaves are large with a bright green upper surface and paler green lower surface. The grape forms tightly packed clusters that can be susceptible to rotting in rainy environments. The small berries creates a high skin to juice ratio which can produce very tannic wines if the juice goes through an extended maceration period. In the presence of new oak barrels the wine can develop an aroma of melted chocolate.[11]
Wine
Petite Sirah produces dark, inky colored wines that are relatively acidic with firm texture and mouth feel. The bouquet has herbal and black pepper overtones. Compared to Syrah, the wine is noticeably more dark and purplish in color. The wines are very tannic with aging ability that can eclipse 20 years in the bottle.
References
1. PS I Love You Petite Sirah Timeline
2. Peasant turns prince:Long considered an ignoble grape, Petite Sirah's parentage lifts the variety from working class to nobility
3. Petite Sirah Timeline
4. J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 244 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
5. J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 227 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 1986 ISBN 1857329996
6. J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 514 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
7. O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 88 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
8. Durif Grape Varierty Cellarnotes.net
9. M. Worobiec ''"Petite Sirah Rides Shotgun as Rhone Rangers Trot Into Town"'' Wine Spectator April 30, 2002
10. O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 168 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
11. J. Laube ''"Petite's Road Back"'' Wine Spectator Jan 31st, 2004
External links
★ Petite Sirah Advocacy Association
★ Appellation America Varietal Info
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