Domaine Helena
Single Vineyard Petite Sirah
North Coast, California, USA
A '22 single vineyard Petite Sirah from my Friend André at Domaine Helena. This is just north of Sonoma County near Clear lake.
This is actually a really interesting Petite Sirah. Most California Durif is grown in warmer climates and it gets really big and really jammy. While I wouldn't call this one restrained it has more subtle elements than others - first there is a lot of nut and coconut on the nose - mostly owing to the new American oak aging ('23 is in French oak and has a completely different character). When that washes off there is possibly the most distinct chocolate (think 65% - not the dark stuff) or cocoa notes I've found in any wine in a long time. The fruit is hard to describe - it's actually hard to get there because leather and macadamia nuts fill your nostrils first.
On the pallette it's not as big and bold as you would expect. That coconut carries over and there's a malo-roundedness that actually does remind you of chocolate melting on your tongue. I'm really enjoying it. Not a lot to say about the finish- Maybe a bit of a one trick pony at this age but it's a fun pony!
A '22 single vineyard Petite Sirah from my Friend André at Domaine Helena. This is just north of Sonoma County near Clear lake.
This is actually a really interesting Petite Sirah. Most California Durif is grown in warmer climates and it gets really big and really jammy. While I wouldn't call this one restrained it has more subtle elements than others - first there is a lot of nut and coconut on the nose - mostly owing to the new American oak aging ('23 is in French oak and has a completely different character). When that washes off there is possibly the most distinct chocolate (think 65% - not the dark stuff) or cocoa notes I've found in any wine in a long time. The fruit is hard to describe - it's actually hard to get there because leather and macadamia nuts fill your nostrils first.
On the pallette it's not as big and bold as you would expect. That coconut carries over and there's a malo-roundedness that actually does remind you of chocolate melting on your tongue. I'm really enjoying it. Not a lot to say about the finish- Maybe a bit of a one trick pony at this age but it's a fun pony!