Petite Sirah
California
Almost black, hugely tannic and dense with blueberry and pepper. A cross of Syrah and Peloursin, and not a small Syrah.
At harvest
Each bar drawn against the full range of all 54 varieties
Sugar
24-27 Brix
24 - 27
Titratable acidity
5.5-7 g/L
5.5 - 7
pH
3.4-3.7
3.4 - 3.7
Juice yield
0.60 L/kg
free run plus a gentle press
Sugar per kilogram
170 g
at 25.5 Brix, the midpoint
Fruit for 23 litres
38 kg
before racking losses
Potential alcohol
14.0-15.3%
from 1.108 fermented dry. A range, because conversion varies by strain
What it punishes
Extraction. The skin-to-juice ratio is extreme, so a normal maceration produces a wine that is undrinkable for a decade.
Made into
- Dry red
- Port style
Sulphite at this pH
At pH 3.55, protecting a red wine to 0.5 mg/L molecular SO2 takes 28 mg/L of free SO2. Work it out for your own reading.
More vinifera red
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux, and now everywhere warm enough
23-25 BrixMerlot
Right Bank Bordeaux
22-25 BrixCabernet Franc
Loire and Bordeaux
22-25 BrixPinot Noir
Burgundy
23-26 BrixSyrah
Northern Rhone
24-27 BrixGrenache
Southern Rhone and Spain
24-26 BrixMourvedre
Bandol and Spain
24-28 BrixZinfandel
California, and Croatia before that