| Rebsorte |
Petite Sirah |
| Synonyme |
Durif |
| Farbe |
Rote Rebsorten |
| Aroma |
Neutral |
| Ursprüngliche Verbreitung |
Allochthon |
| Wuchskraft |
Gut |
| Anbaugebiet |
USA, France, Italy, Israel. |
| Geschichte |
In 1860 French botanist François Durif maintained a nursery of different grape varieties at his home in Tullins, where he probably had both Peloursin and Syrah plants. At one point the cross two plumed vines and Durif discovered a new vine growing in his nursery. It was identified and named Plant of Rif by ampelograph Victor Pulliat in 1868. At the conclusion of DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis in 1997, Syrah was identified as the source of pollen originally crossed with Peloursin flowers. High vine resistance to the mildew encouraged its cultivation in the 20th century in areas such as Isère and Ardèche, although its low quality of resulting wine caused the grapes to fall into disrepair with the local wine authorities. Today, it is almost non-existent in France. |
| Ampelographische Merkmale |
The "small" in the name of this grape refers to the size of its grapes and not the vine, which is particularly vigorous. The leaves are large, with a brighter upper surface and pale green surface below. Forms of carefully packed cluster grapes that can be susceptible to rotting in rainy environments. Small berries create a high skin ratio of juice, which can produce very tannic wines if the juice passes through a period of maceration. In the presence of new oak barrels, wine may develop a melted chocolate flavor. |
| Sortencharakteristische Merkmale |
Petite Sirah produces dark wines, colored ink that are relatively acidic, with consistent pulp and mouth feel; The bouquet has black and herbal pepper tones, and generally offers flavors of blue fruit, black fruit, plums, and in particular blueberries. Compared to Syrah, the wine is considerably darker and purple in color, and generally rounder and fuller in the mouth, and offers a brightness that Syrah lacks. The wines are very tannic, with capacity that can be over 20 years in bottle aging. Petite Sirah can sometimes be a little "short", ie, the flavor does not linger in the mouth, so the advantage of mixing with another vine that may lack half palate depth, but add the length and elegance. |