How to Choose a Petite Syrah

You can call it Sirah, Syrah or Durif. No matter what name you prefer, Petite Syrah is anything but small. This wine is deep in color, big in flavor and pairs perfectly with many different types of food. Read on to learn how to choose a Petite Syrah.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Familiarize yourself with Petite Syrah. The easiest way to do this to visit the P.S. I Love You website. The "P" stands for Petite and the "S" stands for Syrah, by the way. See the Resources section below for a link.

2. Make sure the label reads Petite Syrah. Know that Petite Syrah is made from the Syrah grape.

3. Understand Petite Syrah flavors. The wine is big, bold and a little peppery. The high tannins are softened by acids, creating a wine that is easy to drink when it is both young and old.

4. Learn about aging. The high tannin level in Petite Syrah makes it a good candidate for aging. An aged Petite Syrah will be more mellow tasting with deeper and dark berry flavors.

5. Let it breathe. As with all big and brawny red wines, give this wine some air before serving. It will release its more complex flavors--sometimes vanilla or chocolate--leading to a more fulfilling wine tasting experience.

Tips & Warnings

• Decant it. Not for the traditional reasons of preventing sediment from making it to your glass, but to expose it to the air.
• Pouring it in your wine glass and letting it sit for a bit is just fine if you don't have a decanter handy.
• Having trouble finding a good Petite Syrah? Try Concannon, Fife or Stag's Leap.
• Don't expose wine that is more than 15 years old to too much air. It will oxidize quickly and break down, resulting in an unpleasant flavor of vinegar and fermented grape juice.
• Serve it at the right temperature--around 60 degrees--to experience the full flavors and textures of this wine.
• When ordering Petite Syrah online, be sure that it can be shipped to your state before placing your order.

Resources

• P.S. I Love You for Information About Petite Syrah
• Concannon Vineyard Website
• Stag's Leap Winery
• Fife Vineyards Website

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