2023 Theopolis Vineyards, Petite Sirah, Estate Grown, Yorkville Highlands AVA, Mendocino County.
The 2023 is one of the best vintages of Theodora Lee’s estate Petite Sirah to date in my opinion, as I’ve been following this unique vineyard for more than a decade, and I love the dark and spicy character and depth from this long cool growing season and I think it willl age beautifully for two decades in the bottle! The Theopolis Vineyards Petite Sirah is a deep purple/black hued wine with a full bodied palate of blackberry, damson plum, blueberry compote, bramble berry and cherry fruits, along with a partial whole cluster crunch of umami, peppercorns, subtle earthiness as well as nicely integrated wood notes and a lovely floral array. This is a real rewarding Petite with a poised balance and complex nunances, best to enjoy this decanted for a few hours and with a hearty meal, with something like BBQ and or lamb being good options. The natural tannins, which are perfectly tuned, and lift from the acidity, because of the high elevation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s cooling influences, make this totally distinct from most other versions of Petite Sirah and give this wine an almost Northern Rhône like feel and presence in the glass, which I find remarkably sexy here! Theodora Lee’s The signature Petite Sirah typically in recent years uniquely sees about a third whole cluster and stems in the fermentation, which is done in open top five ton stainless steel vats and gets a cool and lengthy maceration on the skins before being pressed to barrel. While in recent years Theopolis has added many interesting other wines to the lineup, this Petite Sirah really is the signature standout here and I highly recommend it.
The Theopolis Petite Sirah, as I’ve said many times over the years, is a true terroir driven wine from terraced vines in the Yorkville Highlands, again has a thrill ride for the senses and an almost Northern Rhône, like a Cornas, quality from the mountain fruit, schist like soils and terraces vines, absolutely exceptional. As mentioned before here, Petite Sirah, which originally came from the southwest of France and is really called Durif, it was a natural crossing of Syrah and Peloursin. The crossing occurred by chance when Syrah pollen ended up germinating a Peloursin vine back in the 1860s where the French botanist François Durif. Durif, hence the name, had kept a nursery of several grape varieties at his home in the commune of Tullins where he most likely had plantings of both Peloursin and Syrah. After coming to California early in the 20th Century the Durif was confused with Syrah and later acquired the names Petite Syrah and Petite Sirah, as it is more as today. Theodora suggests smoked brisket, BBQ ribs and wild game dishes, all of which, along with lamb, sound great to pair with this one. Again, as mentioned in my previous reviews, Theodora Lee’s Theopolis Vineyards, one of a hand of black owned wineries, is one of the top and most unique sites for Petite Sirah in California, her vines hug steep terraces in the Yorkville Highlands and have received amazing critical acclaim since being established in 2003, with her success first coming from the wines made by Mike Officer at Carlisle, and more recently with Paul Gordon’s Halcon version. Her own wines, which I first started tasting with her 2013 vintage have just got better and better as the vines come into full maturity, and now at 20 years it’s even better still.
($42 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive