IF you’ve never tried Durif or Petite Sirah as it's also known then you need to correct that bit of taste bud deprivation now because they make stonking wines. Before I go any further, Petite Sirah is not the same as Petite Syrah (the swapping of the Y for an I is deliberate, folks). The latter is the name that used to be given to a small berried clone of Syrah or Shiraz. Yeah, you need a good glass or three to get your head around it.
Petite Sirah is the unplanned love child of Peloursin, a lesser known Rhone grape and Syrah and all because a French Botanist called Francois Durif left them in neighbouring beds of his nursery in the 1860s. Francois forgot to give them the birds and bees lecture and, well, they cross pollinated which in plant terms is a hot night.
Anyway, for years, it was used to make cheap jug wine at vineyards all over the world but thanks to one or two innovative winemakers, we are now discovering its unique charms on the wine shelves. It tends to produce inky dark wines with intense bouquets and a palate full of blueberries and blackberries.
The Black Stump Durif Shiraz, Australia
For the price, this is one of the best wines on shelves today and I don't say that lightly. It’s packed with brambly fruits and vanilla and the flavours seem to come in waves across your palate. Delicious
Laithwaites £10.99
Bogle Petite Sirah, California
A one word description would be excellent or you could also use ‘stunning’. Inky black with masses of dark autumn fruits, spice and a hint of cocoa.
Tanners online £17.60
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