Foppiano 2008 Estate Petite Sirah

There is nothing petite about this big, bold wine. In fact, I’d recommend a meal with this as it was too intense for just sipping on the couch (night #1). Tonight (night #2), it paired very nicely with some parmesan chicken and pasta – coated the mouth as the red sauce brought out the peppery goodness of the wine. Strong tannins, blackberry, and other dark fruits stand out, leaving more subtle vanilla flavors on the lingering finish.

This bottle was $14 at Costco. While I’m ranking this 6.5/10, my wife felt it deserved no more than a 4/10 and “tasted cheap”. We’ll agree to disagree here as I’ll stand by my recommendation, as long as you have a meal by it’s side.