Parducci Mendocino County Petite Sirah 2007

this is my 500th blog entry and i went to a trusted winemaker for a really nice red at a good price. parducci has a nice portfolio of wines. this one is no exception. the nose is loaded with cherry and blackberry, as well as some nice spice notes. the palate is big, bold and loaded with tannins so decanting is definitely needed. the flavors of blackberry, black cherry, spicy black pepper and some nice dark chocolate. this is a great food wine. try it with a grilled steak or hearty stew. we enjoyed this with a chicken/mushroom with vegetables and rice and it worked very well. sells for about $10-15 depending on where you are. (more expensive here in new york unfortunately)

Foppiano 2004 Petit Sirah

i was at a local restaurant recently with the comely brunette and we both in the mood for red wine. we ordered this bottle to go with her filet mignon and my ahi tuna steak. we were not disappointed. the nose was full of black cherry, black currant, dark chocolate, and spice. the palate was full and fruity with fairly heavy tannins that eased a bit after the wine opened up. flavors of blackberry, blueberry, more dark chocolate, and some nice black pepper notes. it worked very well with both of our meals. i would also try this with some nice pasta dishes as well. sells for about $20.
coming this weekend, thanksgiving wine recommendations.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Petite Sirah (NV)

wine number three from rabbit ridge. the petite sirah is another nice find and sells at the same $7-8 price. the nose is full of plum, blackberry, spice and earthy notes. the flavor is fruity and tannic, with plum flavors, followed by lots of spice notes. i got some really nice earth notes as well. this is an easy drinking red that will work well with a wide variety of foods, including hearty cold weather meals like stews and roasts.