The Wine Knows

Look at those words up in the headline. Until now, we've never seen them on a bottle of wine. But yesterday, I saw that a Petite Sirah from Spangler Vineyards in Southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley had shown up as a new release. Before this year, putting "Petite Sirah" on a wine label in Oregon was against the law.

Back in the late 1800s, Francois Durif came up with a new wine grape variety that was a cross-pollination of Peloursin and Syrah. Durif named it after himself, but it also became known as Petite Sirah because of the small berries.

Though this is a Rhone Valley variety, hardly any (if any) is grown in that region of France. Instead, most of the world's production of this marvelously bold red wine grape is grown in California. But it's creeping up the coast, catching a foothold in Washington and Oregon.

Until last year's wine rule updates, Oregon producers had to call Petite Sirah by its original name. No offense to Dr. Durif, but that is a horrible name to have to try to market amid the Pinot Noirs, Merlots, Cabs and Zins out there.

Want to know more about Petite Sirah? Check out the advocacy group P.S. I Love You.

I have yet to see an Oregon Pinot Grigio, which also is now allowed.