2010 Forgeron Petite Sirah - Stone Tree Vineyard

What a long day!  Sometimes it seems like the work around the house just never ends, whether you're mowing the grass, raking leaves, or this time of year shoveling snow, there is always work to do.  Today I took down the Christmas decorations, dragged the trees to the curb, took down almost all the lights and garland, though there is one section outside the living room I didn't get to since it started snowing and I didn't feel like getting up on the ladder in the snow!  In any case, now it's time to relax, and to help me do that I've opened up a bottle of 2010 Forgeron Petite Sirah, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.  I just happened upon this bottle while looking for something to go with my dinner, and what a find, a Forgeron Societe exclusive wine with only 108 cases produced!

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass that's almost black at the center.  The nose is just divine, with aromas of ripe black fruit and a bit of smokiness that accents the notes of boysenberry and blueberry.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, blueberries, plums, black cherries, that transition to some lovely notes of white pepper and cassis midpalate.  The finish is lovely, as the well integrated tannins support the long, smooth and velvety dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.  I can't wait to have another sip!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a big, fruit forward wine that would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steak to a lovely roast lamb, but tonight I am pairing it with some barbecue chicken breast!  You see, I really love petite sirah as a great wine to go with barbecue, in a similar vein to Zinfandel, the strong fruit notes and the spice just make it perfect with smoky, sweet barbecue with just a hint of spice.  Along with the chicken breast, I'm also having some oven roasted rainbow potatoes and some sugar snap peas, it's like summer came back for an evening!  Cheers!