Wines & Vines Home
   
SUBSCRIBER LOGIN ID:   Password:  
Where do I find this?
 
Latest news headlinesFeature articles from our editorial staffsThought-provoking commentaryNews this monthIndustry events and learning opportunitiesPrint Edition of Wines & VinesSubscribe to Vines & Vines magazine or order our productsDirectory and Buyers GuideAdvertise with Wines & Vines Online Marketing System (OMS)
WINE INDUSTRY NEWS HEADLINES 02.09.2010
READER COMMENTS
 
Article: Grapegrowers in Fighting Form »
 
I wonder how many of these folks who are singing the blues about budget cuts...
Reader: MrGoat
 
Article: Winemaker Launches Free Calculator »
 
It's like the www.vinoenology.com web site with less calculators, but thanks again for that news!...
Reader: Winemaker
 
Article: Hanzell and ML 34 »
 
What a tremendous delight to read this lovely article by Mr. Ingraham! We are all...
Reader: JAS
 
Article: Tasting Room Reservation Systems Joust »
 
Wow! Looks like it's show down...who will win this battle between the companies? Hope it...
Reader: Wine Tek Group
 
Article: Northwest Vintners Eye Refillable Bottles »
 
Springhouse Cellar in Hood River has been refilling 1 liter bottles for almost two years...
Reader: HRwino
 
 
FEATURES
 

NEWSBRIEFS
  • Huneeus buys two brands
    Huneeus Vintners, owners of Napa Valley’s Quintessa and Chile’s Veramonte, purchased The Prisoner and Saldo brands and inventory from winemaker Dave Phinney’s Orin Swift Cellars, based in Rutherford. Both brands are Zinfandel blends. Phinney will maintain control of production and winemaking long term, and he retains ownership of Orin Swift Cellars and its other brands.
     
  • New name, location for Sojen
    Sojen Cellars, which started several years ago in a garage as Griffins Crossing, opened a new winery and tasting room in January in Everett, Wash. Owners Max and Jennifer Jensen adopted “Sojen” after Oregon’s Willamette Valley Vineyards claimed their original brand infringed on its Griffin Creek trademark. Although Sojen produces just 300 cases per year, it plans quickly to grow to 500 cases.   Bauer is Union winemaker
     
  • Winery opens in Indiana
    Tonne Winery opened at the end of 2009 in Muncie; it’s owned by Larry Simmons and Kevin Tonne, who plan to plant a vineyard this spring. Five wines made from New York and Michigan grapes are ready for tasting and sales.
     
  • Virginia winery opened in January
    After a protracted legal battle to obtain zoning approval, Paradise Springs Winery, Clifton, Va., opened to the public in January. Situated in a historic cabin, it’s owned by Jane Kincheloe and Kirk Wiles, a mother and son team. For background, search Paradise Springs at winesandvines.com, or visit paradisespringswinery.com.
     
  • Sparflex adds capabilities
    The Ukiah, Calif., capsule supplier invested in a new machine enabling it to provide customers with custom tin and aluminum capsules decorated locally and shipped anywhere in North America. Sparflex also launched a new range of Green Line sparkling wine polylam foils, produced without organic solvents. Learn more at sparflex.com.
     
  • MORE »
 

CALENDAR
  • December 7 - March 31
     
    Polar Passport
     
  • February 7-9
     
    The World’s Wine Markets by 2030
     
  • February 9
     
    Sonoma County Grape Day
     
  • February 12
     
    Gulf Coast Grape Growers’ Field Day
     
  • MORE »
 
A compilation of wines reviewed each week by leading wire service and major daily newspaper wine columnists
 
READ »
 

ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
08.10.2007  
 

Pointers on Petite Sirah

Tips for harvesting, fermenting and marketing

 
by Jim Gordon
 
 
Pointers on Petite Sirah
Presenter Jeff Cohn
Healdsburg, Calif. -- Growers and producers of Petite Sirah heard practical advice from their peers this week at the Sixth Annual Petite Sirah Noble Symposium hosted by Lou Foppiano of Foppiano Vineyards, one of the longest-running growers and marketers of the traditional California variety.

The one-day meeting of 65 people was held in the context of rapidly rising sales for the dark red varietal. Nielsen Scantrack data show a 25% increase in dollar sales at supermarkets, drug and liquor stores in the 52 weeks ending June 30. Here are a few highlights from the informal presentations.

Mechanical Harvesting

Paul Foppiano of Foppiano Vineyards spoke about his success using mechanical harvesters for Petite Sirah, saying that his family's winery now picks 75% of its Petite Sirah crop this way. The variety is susceptible to sunburn, but using Korvan harvesters with bow rods "eliminates 100% of the sunburned berries," he said, because those berries either stick to the vine, or get blown out of the harvested fruit by the harvester's fans.

He said the Foppiano Petite Sirah comes out less tannic this way, because of fewer stem caps in the must, and the grapes the harvester takes are more uniformly ripe. His cost to contract for mechanical harvesting is $32 per ton, while with a hand crew, the cost would be $150 to $200 per ton.

Yeast Strains

Jeff Cohn of JC Cellars, an expert on Zinfandel and Rhône varieties after many years of winemaking at Rosenblum as well as JC, stressed the importance of using multiple yeast strains to get the most out of Petite Sirah. For Petite Sirah, some of his favorites are: the Shiraz strain Maurivin B that foams abundantly, in small amounts; D 80, a Rhône isolate that makes a hot ferment, lots of tannin and is very perfumed; D 21 in small amounts, a subtle strain that adds white peppercorn; the Syrah strain, "Great, I love it," he said; strain 43 for stuck fermentations; also for stuck fermentation, the Williams-Selyem or Jackass yeast, which is very expensive, however; and a yeast isolated from the Park Vineyard in Sonoma County's Rockpile AVA, VQ15, that adds mineral highlights and enhances fruit.

"At Rosenblum we experimented with yeasts all the time, and at one point we were using 18 white wine yeasts and 16 red wine yeasts," Cohn said. "You get more complexity and more control compared to indigenous yeast." One yeast that didn't work for Petite Sirah, he said, was Assmanhausen.

Cohn said he ferments Petite Sirah in small bins or tanks, and punches down by hand five times a day. He doesn't extend the maceration, but pumps directly to barrels as the must approaches dryness. He doesn't rack the wine--at all. When one winemaker questioned him on this, he repeated that he doesn't rack Petite Sirah in general, but does taste from each barrel every three weeks and will rack to clean it up if he starts getting off odors.

PS Marketing

Dennis Fife, proprietor of Fife Vineyards in Napa Valley, is a Rhône variety specialist and a veteran sales and marketing person. He told the group that marketing a little-known varietal such as Petite Sirah is a challenge. "We're insignificant compared to 500 Napa Cabernets," he said. But he added that Petite Sirah is a "fun" item in the marketplace, it's good with the right food, and it's not in oversupply. In fact, several vintners at the symposium said it's flying off the shelves right now.

Fife's advice is to communicate what's behind Petite Sirah. "Its the story of the wine that really sells it," said the former sales and marketing executive at Beaulieu, and manager of Inglenook. Also, focus on a few varietals, and focus on a few markets. You can't successfully do too many of these, he said. "Find the five or six people in the trade across the country who can really sell your Petite Sirah and focus on them," he said.

He told a story of how a top officer at one of the biggest distributors recently told him that distributors don't build brands anymore. "Use all the direct marketing you can," Fife said, "because you are the sole brand builder today."
Print this page  PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION »
E-mail this article  E-MAIL THIS ARTICLE »
Close
 
Currently no comments posted for this article.
 
CURRENT NEWS INDEX »
 

 
Wines & Vines Home
 
415.453.9700 | Fax: 415.453.2517
info@winesandvines.com

WINE INDUSTRY MARKETPLACE
 
 
WINERY SEARCH
 
 
Advanced Search »
SUPPLIER SEARCH
   by Product
 by Company Name or Brand
 
Browse by Category »
2010 DIRECTORY &
BUYER'S GUIDE
The Wines & Vines Directory and Buyer's Guide
 
ORDER THE NEW 2010 VERSION NOW
 
SHIPS JANUARY 21 - HOT OFF THE PRESS!
 
EXPANDED ONLINE SEARCH INCLUDED WITH PURCHASE
 
ORDER NOW »
 
Directory Online Search »
 
The Wines & Vines Online Marketing System
 
The Industry Standard winery marketing application
 
FREE LIVE DEMO »
 
VIEW VIDEO »
 
 
 
 
Latest Job Listings
 Wine Informant
 Napa, CA
Hospitality and Retail
 Western Region Sales M...
 Napa Area, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Tasting Room Manager
 Cloverdale, CA
Hospitality and Retail
 Category Analyst - Wal...
 Bentonville, AK
Finance
 Regional Chain Manager...
 Seattle, WA
Sales and Marketing
 Regional Manager, Tx
 Metro Area, TX
Sales and Marketing
 Northern California Sa...
 San Francisco Peninsula, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Assistant Cellar Opera...
 Ripon, CA
Winemaking and Production
 Sales Representative
 Burlingame, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Tasting Room Manager
 Russian River Area, CA
Sales and Marketing
 
More Job Listings >>
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
 





Home  |  About Us  |  Editors  |  Subscribe  |  Print Edition  |  Industry Links

Advertise  |  Site Map  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy
 
 
Copyright © 2001-2010 by Wine Communications Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No material may be reproduced without written permission of the Publisher.
Wines&Vines does not assume any responsibility for any unsolicited manuscripts or materials.