Petite Sirah
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Barbecued beef brisket, slow-braised lamb shanks, strong blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Scheid Vineyards' Petite Sirah is primarily sourced from the warm, sheltered microclimates of the Hames Valley AVA in southern Monterey County. Unlike the wind-swept northern reaches of the Salinas Valley, Hames Valley provides the intense heat and sun exposure required to fully ripen this bold, thick-skinned grape. Petite Sirah, historically known in France as Durif after its creator Dr. François Durif, has found its true spiritual home in California. Scheid's expression of this variety is celebrated for its deep, ink-like color, robust tannic structure, and rich layers of dark fruit. The dramatic diurnal temperature shifts of the region preserve a vibrant natural acidity, balancing the wine's natural opulence and power.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1972 by pioneer Al Scheid, Scheid Vineyards began as an ambitious viticultural venture in southern Monterey County, initially supplying fruit to major California wineries before evolving into a vertically integrated estate wine producer. Spanning more than 3,000 acres across a 70-mile expanse of the Salinas Valley—encompassing microclimates across the Monterey, Arroyo Seco, and Hames Valley AVAs—the estate leverages thermal diurnal shifts driven by maritime winds off Monterey Bay. Viticulture balances alluvial gravel, decomposed granite, and clay-loam soils across twelve distinct ranch sites, farmed under SIP Certified and Certified California Sustainable standards, with the winery fully powered by an onsite wind turbine. Winemaking prioritizes varietal clarity, tension, and texture across an eclectic portfolio, celebrated for vibrant Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, aromatic Viognier, racy Dry Riesling, and rare regional white bottlings such as Petit Manseng and Roussanne.
🍇 Grapes
Petite Sirah