Yeah so I haven't posted any TN's in the last few months. I just save up for the best,.....and this wine, I can say, I recommend.

Bear Creek 2000 Lodi Petite Sirah

Look: deep opaque violet
Smell: classic, beautiful. chocoloate/cherry cordials, but is more of a monster than a bon-bon. Displays freshly crushed fruit, and thusly is an infant, yet is appealing now. Port-y in its Lodi ripeness, and has the alcohol to back it up.
Taste: ripe, tannic, alcoholic. It's a baby, but rough and ready.Chewy tannins, very big, and hedonistic.
Rating: B+, but this chapter isn't closed for 3 more years when it's ready for display
-This wine is from Bear Creek Winery, which is a custom crush facility owned by the Kautz family, of Ironstone. So far, Bear Creek has also released two vintages of Lodi old vine Zins, which similarly were selected from the best lots. Distribution is pretty much infinitesimal, but seeing how they are affiliated with Ironstone, I'd think the Bear Creek brand could be found similarly. I've seen this wine retailed at one place, Lodi Avenue Liquors, at about $14. QPR if there ever was.

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

[ 08-25-2002, 12:22 AM: Message edited by: VitisVinifera ]

Gudday VV, You've obviously tried a few petit syrah, what are they generally like? I've had almost no petit syrah (let alone from the US) and have no real understanding of the grape variety, could you fill me in. Please

Jeremy:

I'd rather not cloud your enophilic cranium with suggestive descriptors, and leave it to your ability to acquire them.

That said, Petite Sirah (notice the spelling) has an interesing genetic Rhone heritage (Syrah, Peloursin, Durif....but that's another convo), but it's pretty much a Californian phenomena.

Generally, it tends to be dark and tannic with a Californian fruit profile not unlike Zinfandel, and loves the sun and well-drained soils of this region. It is one variety that thrives in heat and hands-on viticulture, at least from what I've seen.

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

VV, Thank you. I apologise for the poor spelling. I've seen some Aussie Petite Sirah but not tried it, I will endevour to try some (or at least one). Thank you for the info, and look forward to another differant wine to try.

[ 08-25-2002, 01:11 AM: Message edited by: Jeremy ]

VV, very good. I've had a few petite syrahs... Of course the TAA one a few months back.. Foppiano. Definitely would like to seek out some more.

To add to Jeremy's question... the petite syrah grape normally makes a very structured wine... because of that characteristic, it's mostly used in blends in small percentages. Perhaps that's why the high heat vineyards produce the best ones... as they tend to get better extraction, but can lack in structure?? So a balance is achieved.

Just guessing about the high heat/structure relationship though.

Revlis, Would I be best to look for a blend as opposed to a straight Petite Sirah to see how the wine is best utilised? (In your opinion or VV's)

vitis, my friend, i finally found the time & my "notes", so i'm here to post my impressions of the bear creek ps that you contributed to the grab bag.

as i have mentioned before, i thoroughly enjoyed this wine. it had a very deep dark red color, almost black, even. it had an initial nose of rich black cherries, turning to more of a red cherry, plum nose after an hour of decanting. i struggled with how to describe the surprising tastes & after coming up with dried cherries, prunes & some raisins, i settled on the perfect descriptor: cherry cordials, chocolate covered cherries with some port-like qualities & a finish that lasted for a long time. the mouth-feel was thick & rich. i would be very interested to taste this wine with food & if i ever get to lodi, i will definitely pick up some more, along with their zinfandel. if i have to put a number on it i say 91. this would never be my everyday style of wine, but it definitely deserves a place in my cellar, especially if it is only $14 retail, great qpr.

jeremy, if you can possibly get your hands on this wine, do so & i would recommend trying a wine that is at least predominately ps.

Thank you for the advice.

Hi Jeremy - there is another petite sirah thread with some recos at

http://web8.winespectator.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002613

Thanks Winetex, much appreciated will check them out.

I had a bottle of this last night and was just sitting down to write up my notes when I checked and saw this thread.

VV, I agree. For the money (or even double), this is a smashing PS. We recently had the T-Vine PS and, while I enjoyed it, I found it a dash too sweet. On the other hand, the Bear Creek is very well balanced, delicious and half the money.

This can certainly handle medium-term cellaring (3-5 years).

I'm off to hunt down a case of it...

Hey JO, that's great! Tell me where you found it......

Glad to see someone else finding it, I think this wine could be a huge success for more sophisticated consumers if the availablility were there, and the word got it. I'm not afraid to share this gem....if you can find their Zins, get those too. Same quality. I talked to their winemaker Jordi 2 days ago, and he said there's no plans for more varietals.

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

VV, there is a small local wine store here in Lafayette that had it a couple of weeks ago, I forget the price. I'm calling him when he opens to see what he has left....

Called and got a case at $16.

[ 09-28-2002, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: JO ]

VV, I've got to thank you. I recently tried anumber of Aussie Petit Sirah and thoroughly enjoyed them. Cheers for putting me onto this new grape variety. Well new to me anyways.

VV,
How would you compare this to the Mettler's '99 Lodi Cab, even though it's different varietals?

P.S. I moght be heading that direction in the next couple of weeks, I'll let you know.

[ 09-28-2002, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: pyang ]

The 99 Mettler Cab is the best Lodi Cab I've had yet. The WE loved it, gave it like a 91 or something. It's pretty heavy on the alc, like above 15 if I remember.

IMO, it's a bit unbalanced and topheavy. The Bear Creek PS is seemless, great fruit expression, and basically everything you want in a PS at less than half the price.

Email me at:vitisvinifera98@yahoo.com

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

Since we are talking about PS, I thought I would mention a great QPR PS. The 2000 Novella PS from Paso Robles is a very nice bottle of wine for the money. I paid $10.99/bottle for it here in Louisville. Do not quote me on this, but I believe this is the second labeling of EOS. I saw the 2000 David Bruce PS the other day for $15.99. This is one of the best prices I have seen on this.

IW

vitis,

how goes the wine making? i'm still going to get up there to see your operation before the year is out & you can point me to where i can get some more bear creek ps & their zin as well.

Gus, .....

I was at Wine & Roses last night for dinner (best spot in Lodi), and I saw a 3 liter of that PS. This week, I'm on a mission to get some, though there may not be any to have. Lodi Ave Liquors was the only retail outlet I knew of that had it, but a few weeks ago I took Winebrat there to get some and they were out. JO said he found some a few weeks ago and is going back for more. You might be able to help your cause by finding contact info for Ironstone Vineyards, who owns Bear Creek, and who takes care of their distribution cycle.

As for the winemaking, I'm done crushing/pressing, and it's mellow stuff like watching ML's go through, racking, and of course drinking beer at work. I'm helping out others in Lodi who need to do pressing now (like literally now), but it's back to having fun now.

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

I'm able to get it for $16.50/bottle (+ tax). Let me know ASAP and I'll add what you want to my order. Just email me at jsorlik@aol.com

VV,

Have you checked Herbst Liquor on Thornton Road or Longs Drug on March & I-5? Maybe Payless Market in Lockeford if you want to make the trip...

pyang, thanks for the leads.......I still have a few bottles left. And I can get them direct from the winery, which otherwise isn't open to the public. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can score one of those 3 liters I saw at Wine & Roses last night (a guy proposed to his girl 2 tables away).

I guarantee that Payless in Lockeford doesn't have it......that's the store I buy my 40's of Budweiser at (I'm being totally serious). The Long's at March is a very good lead though, I've bought a few random bottles there.

PS pyang.....I read in another thread, someone said you might be working for/with BV? Are you keeping an eye on that thread? I feel like I'm watching a ship sinking...

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

I asked their office manager about the PS, and apparently there's only like 2 or 3 places it is sold at, and one of them I know are sold out. Wow!

As for the 3 liter, that was for display only, that's not made. If people want to get some, I can pretty much buy them out and resell them to those interested.

JO, it appears there is also a Bear Creek in Santa Cruz. This one is Lodi. Can you confirm?

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

[ 10-01-2002, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: VitisVinifera ]

Confirmed - it's the Lodi one..... Last I heard (a couple days ago), they had access to more.

Jeremy,

For a Aus. PS wouldn't that be PETITE SHIRAZ?

Brian