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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Stags' Leap Petite Sirahtext
92POINTS
17/20

Stags' Leap Petite Sirah 2016

Napa Valley, California, United StatesThe ’16 Petite Sirah is better than ever a year down the road. It comes from a handful of ancient vines on the estate and a few sites in the north and south of Napa Valley. It’s beginning to lose a bit of its rich, fat, baby fruit as it puts on some midpalate weight and more complexity. Black pepper, raspberries, and bitter, dark chocolate rule the palate with plenty of acidity to balance it all out in the mouth. The star is the texture of this wine; the tannin management has left it with dense sweet tannins that coat the palate but do not dry out your mouth. You can drink this now, and that is its charm and brilliance. Winemaker Paubert practices traditional winemaking methods and a varying mix of syrah, grenache, and mourvèdre to add further layers of interest. A first-class red, you can cellar this beyond 2026 with ease. Finally, the wine went through a relatively short maceration period (9-12 days on average) that included the co-fermentation of two lots with the viognier to reinforce the floral character of the petite sirah. The wine aged for 12 months in American oak barrels (25% new).Tasted: 24 September 2020Tasted by: Prices:
BC$45.99750mlBCLS
AB$42.95750mlfine wine shops
ON$58.99750mlLCBO
Producer: Stags' Leap WineryDistributors: Mark Anthony Wines and Spirits
Grape: Petite SirahCSPC: 533052UPC: 00626990001638