Palisades Vineyard Old Vine Petite Syrah
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2034
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Barbecued beef brisket, slow-roasted lamb shanks, mature blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Tucked away at the base of the dramatic volcanic cliffs in Calistoga, the historic Palisades Vineyard is home to some of Napa Valley's most legendary old-vine Petite Sirah. Originally planted in the early 20th century, these ancient, head-trained, and dry-farmed vines dig deep into the gravelly loam soils, yielding tiny, intensely concentrated berries. Under the stewardship of TOR, this fruit is transformed into a monumental red wine that pays homage to California's rich viticultural heritage. The winemaking philosophy embraces minimal intervention, utilizing native yeasts and aging in French oak to preserve the vineyard's signature ink-like color, muscular structure, and profound depth of dark fruit, cocoa, and exotic spices.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Kenward Family Wines represents the culmination of nearly five decades of immersion in California viticulture. Following a 27-year tenure shaping Beringer's private reserve programs, Kenward partnered with talented winemaker Jeff Ames to craft site-driven, artisanal single-vineyard expressions. The estate sources fruit exclusively from premier, sustainably farmed crus across Napa Valley and Carneros, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch, Dr. Crane, Hyde Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. Winemaking is dictated by minimal intervention, featuring native-yeast primary and malolactic fermentations, parcel-specific French oak maturation, and bottling without fining or filtration. TOR's benchmark portfolio is anchored by cult Cabernet Sauvignons alongside sculpted, mineral-laced Chardonnays—notably the Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi, Torchiana Beresini Vineyard, and Hyde Vineyard bottlings—as well as the ultra-limited Bordeaux-blend cuvées Black Magic and Pure Magic.
🍇 Grapes
Petite Sirah