Langtry’s 2007 Petite Sirah is aging well.
“As soon as it was released it was approachable,” noted Dustin Fults, the winery’s hospitality manager.
Now, after all these years, it shows the world a furrowed, brooding face and a soft, compassionate soul.
Keep in mind as well that “brooding,” in wine nomenclature, is also a welcome aspect. On the nose, the 2007 seeps with juicy dark fruits, an overflowing sack of promise. Faint traces of weathered vine, rich earth and prickly spice swirl through the pleasant stew.
Take a sip and the wine envelops your palate in cooked berries.
“I like to call it baked blueberry pie,” Fults observed.
Yes, it is a fruit and berry stew, a brooding basket of intense flavors. Reminders of terse licorice balance this, providing depth. But the kindly nature begins to show in streaks of fresh herbs, a tickle like picked mint and flecks of black peppercorn cracked over the whole, adding an agreeable spark.
It’s a wine that wants you to consider it a heavy, serious and contemplative sipper, yet can’t control its urge to brighten the mood.
“That’s our winemaker’s touch,” Fults said, referring to Eric Stine. “He likes finesse.”
The 2007 was Stine’s first vintage for the estate east of Middletown. He showed a deft touch in balancing out the varietal’s tannins, creating an inviting and velvety feel.
Stine allowed the Petite Sirah to rest in American oak for more than two years — 28 months, in total. The result was a wine easy to drink on release, but one that will continue to accumulate character if cellared.
Langtry’s Serpentine Meadow — the source of this Petite Sirah — survived the Valley Fire. That’s a positive, for the magnesium-riddled soil of the Guenoc Valley stresses the vines as the earth teeters between wet and dry.
The winery suffered some damage here and there, but otherwise emerged strong.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
