Michael David "Petite Petit" 2007 Lodi

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I’m suffering from something of a “wine whiplash” today- a term we cleverly invented last night to describe the drastic switch from all my delicate, refreshing summer white picks of the last few weeks to this week’s pick- the gargantuan behemoth of a wine that is Michael David’s ‘Petite Petit.’ A very cool blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot from the Lodi region of California.

This wine has been something of a showstopper for the last few weeks at Cellar and Mr. Friendly’s- we’re both pouring it by the glass, and it’s been one of our best retail sellers. Just last night a gentleman came in raving about his dinner at Mr. Friendly’s, and did we sell the wine he just drank? the one with the carnival on the front? I said, yes of course- $16 bottle- and fetched him a bottle. He paused… and then said- “On second thought, just give me a case.” Like I said- it’s popular.

And with good reason- this thing has atomic-like levels of fruit, oak, spice, bacon- yes, bacon!- all up in it. Parker gave it 88 points- a reasonable score, but I think considering the fact that it’s so reasonably priced it deserved a 90. Just sayin’. On first whiff you get a massive hit of cloves, vanilla, a little hint of flowery-violets, and then- whoah! BACON! mmmmmmmm, yes- bacon in a glass. Does it get better than that? Juicy cherries, cedar, blackberries and maybe a bit of fig follow. Parker calls it a “civilized” Petite Sirah- a grape that is notorious for being too tannic and feral for it’s own good. It’s used as a blending grape in a lot of circumstances- especially with Zinfandel to tone down and tighten up it’s jammy quality.