2009 Oak Cliff Cellars Lovers Lane Petite Sirah

Oak Cliff Cellars had its start in the Dallas, Texas, neighborhood of Oak Cliff, where J.R. Richardson and his wife Maria often invited friends for dinner and wine. In 2008 the couple decided to buy some Napa Valley grapes and make their own wine. In 2010 they offered their first commercial release. The couple’s business plan is to make a few hundred cases of wine each year from Northern California sourced grapes. Past wines have included Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Zinfandel and Bordeaux blends. The wines are generally offered only through a mailing list.

North Coast AVA includes California’s most prestigious sub-appellations and vineyards. The three million acre area includes vineyards in six counties north of San Francisco and nearly 50 sub-appellations. The Napa Valley and Sonoma County AVAs are just two of the renowned sub-appellations included in the North Coast designation, which also includes the AVAs Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Stag’s Leap and Rutherford, which are all among the most acclaimed wine producing districts in California. The North Coast AVA designation is generally used for wines made by blending grapes grown in several counties or AVAs. The appellation includes part of the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Marin, Solano and Lake.

Despite its popularity, this grape is quite rare. Less than 10,000 acres are planted worldwide, with the bulk in California. In France, the grape is referred to as Durif. Not to be confused with Syrah, Petite Sirah is a cross of Syrah and Peloursin. The result is darker and fuller.