Cycles Gladiator 2016 Petite Sirah Central Coast, California

Petite Sirah is something of a misnomer: there is nothing petite about it, and it is distinct in flavor from its’ parent, Syrah.  Named for the tiny berries with a high skin to juice ratio, Petite Sirah grapes make a dark, inky-brilliant fuschia wine bursting with bold flavors.  Winemaker Adam Lazarre describes this powerhouse ‘Gladiator’ best: “… a particularly dark, brooding wine with aromatics of boysenberry and blueberry tied together with sweet cedar and vanilla notes from the new oak. Plum, blackberry, and other black fruit flavors up front. The tannins are pretty immense but the depth of lush fruit on the mid-palate mitigate any perception of astringency. The result is a mouth-filling expression of dark fruits that wrap around the tongue and coat the whole mouth. This is a wine that will stain your soul.”  Perfect for winter.  Perfect with bacon cheeseburgers, beef tenderloin, and cave-aged gruyere.