we just put a funky little wine with a big taste on sale for $17.99 and i wanted to write un petite blog about it. since it’s monday tuesday and there is really no other reason not to, the lucky bottle featured today is…

the 2006 petite petit by michael & david (lodi vineyards)

applause. applause: it’s lucky. and unique - here’s why:

first, it has a cool label.

exhibit a

this is not up for debate, people. please see exhibit a.

i realize that some of you may be afraid of circus-esque themes, people, ideas, etc. but for those that this applies to, please don’t be scared - the elephants are big, but they are your friends! i believe the winemakers put the elephants on there to use symbolism. elephants are BIG, like this wine. but they are friendly, like this wine. and they ostensibly get along with carnies, like this wine.

and second, it’s a funky twist on a blend.

since this is a wine blog, i suppose i’ll actually write about the wine now. the blend of the petite petit is 85% petite syrah, and 15% petit verdot.

let the wine lesson commence:

petite syrah is a grape thought to be originally known as durif, and was initially thought to be related to the renowned syrah of france’s rhone region.* now almost extinct, it is primarily grown in california and is currently known as petite syrah. a much better name, in my humble opinion. some characteristics noted would include a deep color, peppery taste, tannic in structure, robust in flavor, with a good aging ability. it’s frequently found as a wine on its own, but it’s also often blended to get more zest and complexity. (*source: wine lover’s companion)

hello petite! hello petit!

the petit verdot is a grape from the bordeaux region in france, considered to be of high quality, but great immaturity (doesn’t mature well). (seriously, this grape cannot handle it’s alcohol  - gosh, petite verdot, can you please grow up!?! ) this grape produces wines with many of the same characteristics as the petite syrah - deep colored, spicy, tannic, and high alcohol - but is used more for blending than anything else.

so we have a bordeaux grape mixed with a rhone grape. un petite petit. sounds like a blend made in heaven, right? i wonder, would the french be so inclined to name it for its own? …would the capulets and the montagues come together and party? though a dramatic comparison, i’m doubting so.

now, not to get off on a tangent, but with the french, things are much more strict when it comes to naming a wine. over there so we can’t call this a bordeaux or a rhone - or a bordrhone for that matter (that one’s mine, folks), not at least according to AOC (’Appelatlation d’Origine Controlle’) standards. we americans get to muck all the standards up, and so we’ll just go with “funky blend”.

but, really… “what’s in a name? that which we call a bordrhone by any other name would taste as robust?”

so, if you’re looking for some other descriptions, you may include “berry explosion” (not to be confused with cannon explosion), “dark.. fruit bomb” “jammy, jammy”, “intensity”, and “smooth tannins”.

and so to wrap up this verbose post, for this type of big, flavorful funky blend, you want to make sure to have a big, funky flavorful meal to go with it.  it’s for a petite carnival this spring, and for a petit carnivore.  this big wine with a little name absolutely calls for grilling out. and if you’re inviting me over, there is no doubt i’m in. bart would suggest some wild game. daryl thinks lamb is the best fit. and for me and my bordrhone, i say use it to drink with and marinate a petite filet - add some veggies to the fire and you’ve got yourself some red petite fusion with a grand taste…

happy grilling and drinking!

-candace