And yet the folks at Clos LaChance chose the noble hummingbird as a brand symbol for two reasons: the first was its beauty, and the second how well it keeps other bird away from the grapes. Can you imagine that? A tiny hummingbird interdicting a no-fly zone around the Clos LaChance vineyards? Strange as it may seem, we’re assured that’s exactly how it works.
So be aware that your Clos LaChance Petite Sirah Vertical 3 Pack might need some extra special protection. These three bottles, 2007, 2008 and 2009, cover a great period of growth for the Clos LaChance Petite Sirah. It’s going to offer great flavors and rich tastes, and there’s a good chance someone’s going to try and steal a bottle.
You’ll understand after a tasting. The 2007 is a dark opaque red with aromas of ripe plums and huckleberries, with a taste of blackberries and huckleberries and chocolate-dipped strawberries. The 2008 smells of cedar and cocoa and dark ripe cherry, with exploding red fruits pouring out in the mouth. And the 2009 closes out the vertical with a nose of sweet cherries and raspberries with flavors of vanilla bean and toasty oak with dried red fruits and cocoa on the palate.
Sounds delicious, right? Sounds like the kind of thing you’d want to try? That’s why the hummingbird protects those vineyards from immoral birds of excellent taste. Stand ready to protect your Clos LaChance Petite Sirah Vertical 3 Pack from those who might fancy a glass.
Or maybe… just give them a bottle? After all, you’re gonna get three.
2007 Clos LaChance Estate Petite Sirah
A beautiful, dark opaque red wine. Aromas of ripe plums, huckleberries and blackberries. A hint of powdered cocoa and vanilla. Rich tannins are balanced with the ripe fruit. Blackberries and huckleberries carry through from the palate. Dark chocolate dipped strawberries. A long finish with a solid acid component that leaves my mouth watering for another sip.
2008 Clos LaChance Estate Petite Sirah
Beautifully dark, rich and inky—typical of the varietal but always a bit astonishing in the glass. On the nose there's cocoa, raspberries, cedar and dark, dark ripe cherry. On the mouth, bright almost exploding red fruits. Raspberries, super ripe strawberries and cherries jumping out at you. The cocoa is subtle and a little vanilla pairs nicely with it creating a little Neapolitan thing. The fruit carries through nicely into the finish, which is very long with a couple herbal components—a hint of rosemary and dill.
2009 Clos LaChance Reserve Petite Sirah
In 1987, co-owners Bill and Brenda Murphy decided to plant a few rows of Chardonnay in their Saratoga backyard, both for landscaping purposes and to realize their dreams of being small-scale vintners. A few years later, the wines produced from this small backyard vineyard were good enough to sell to the public. It was at this point that Clos LaChance formed into a commercial winery. The first released wines were from the 1992 vintage. The next 15 years would take the Murphy’s from 200 cases of wine produced to 80,000; 3/4 of an acre to 150 acres planted and 20 full-time and 25 seasonal employees.
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