2012 Stillman Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, "Deep Purple" 750ml 2-Pack

A moderate stylistic departure from my previous Petite Sirahs and Syrahs, this bottling is considerably more tannic: nothing two hours in the decanter or a rib eye won’t cure, though it will certainly hold over a decade in the bottle. Darker than the label, the wine shows aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry and blueberry, vanilla and smoky spices, with a firm but fine tannin structure. Primarily from Brohaugh Vineyard just outside Templeton, the higher tannic structure of the 2011 blended well with the precocious fruit of the 2012; thus the lack of a vintage on the label. A little something else was added, but Stillman won’t tell Us because the respective growers might see this and do a slow Burn.