There were less restrictions on the wines we had to taste this week for the California Wine Appellation Specialist course at the San Francisco Wine School, so I choose a wine from Livermore AVA and Lodi AVA. Both contained Petite Sirah. Surprisingly, I purchased two of the wines from a local wine store in Elkridge, Maryland. I was expecting to travel to Total Wine in Laurel, however, the Perfect Pour in Elkridge had a better less expensive selection of wines from the Central Coast. This week’s California Wine Appellation Specialist class included the northern Central Coast and the Delta that included Lodi and its sub-appellations.

The first wine was a Concannon 2010 Conservancy Crimson & Cloves, Livermore Valley. The wine was a blend of 50% Petite Sirah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 10% Zinfandel. At 13.5% alcohol the wine offered a nice 3P (porch, patio, pool) wine even on a hotter, humid summer day. The price was 11.99 at The Perfect Pour, Elkridge, Maryland and the winery’s website is at concannonvineyard.com.

The Conservancy Crimson & Cloves was a barely translucent dark ruby color with medium depth. There was no sediment in the glass or bottle. Aromas and flavors reminded me of blueberries, plums, spices and leather. This full-bodied wine was dry; however, there was a perceived sweetness due to the fruit. I thought the acid was medium and the wine had silky medium tannins. I would give this wine a personal rating of 3.5. However if I weighted the price of the wine higher, I would give the wine a rating of 4.0.The wine is easy drinking and can pair with red meats as well as a rocking chair on a porch.

The second wine for this week’s class was a Four Vines 2010 Petite Sirah Lodi. With 13.9% alcohol and a price of $11.99 at the Perfect Pour this is an affordable wine from the Lodi region of California. The Four Vines website is at http://fourvines.com.

The wine had a dark ruby color with no sediment in the glass or bottle. The aromas and flavors included cherries, blueberries and plums with a hint of cedar. This full-bodied wine was dry with medium acid and medium-high tannins. My personal rating: 3.0. The wine has a great price point and works well with summer hamburgers and sausages on the grill.

Cheers,
Terry