We leave today for San Diego. Probably will go to the zoo, some rank as #1 in the world. Here is another video of how to visit the zoo. There is also a hop-on-hop-off trolley system, with a stop at our hotel, the Marriott Marquis.
But our primary purpose for this trip is Paso Robles to taste Petite Sirah. We have relatives in the San Diego area, and four of us will drive from San Diego to Paso Robles, then back a few days later.
- The cities are 332 miles apart, a drive of 6 hours without stopping.
- If you're a fan of this blog, you know by now that my favorite wine is Petite Sirah from Paso Robles. There is a lot of history going back more than half a century.
I tasted a very early version of this wine when it was not yet bottled. I was spending a summer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the early 70s and knew a colleague whose last name was Concannon.- James Concannon founded the company in 1883. He imported vines directly from Chateaux Margaux and Château d'Yquem.
- His son, Joe, kept the company going during Prohibition by making sacramental wine, which also served as a mechanism for providing wine in general.
- They released their first Petite Sirah in 1964, but mostly to blend with other reds.
- Grandson Jim Concannon is known as The Father of Petite Sirah. He is to the left at the age of 80, with his son John.
- With the University of California Davis, Jim successfully created Concannon Cabernet Clones 7, 8 and 11 from original Bordeaux vines, and these clones are today responsible for about 80% of cabernet sauvignons grown in California today.
- Read about Concannon Vineyard.
(In the mid-60s) there were fewer than 250 wineries in California. In fact, at the time, wineries were in decline and would continue to dwindle. From a high of 470 in 1940, the number of California wineries fell to 232 in 1965. Hard to even imagine now, when in California alone, there are 3650 wineries: double that and you get the nationwide total.
- From Wine Folly: 6 Fast Facts About Petite Sirah:
- History: Petite Sirah (or Durif, the grape’s original name) was created by botanist Francois Durif in Montpellier, France, around 1880. The grape is a cross between Syrah and the even rarer Peloursin. It was imported to America by Charles McIver in the mid-1880s, where it got its new name: Petite Sirah.
- Serving: A slightly cooler temperature (65ºF or 18ºC) will deliver more floral and mineral aromas along with Petite Sirah’s characteristic bold fruit.
- Decanting: Petite Sirah, with its high tannin, is the perfect red wine to pour in a decanter and let it evolve for 2–4 hours (if you can wait!).
- Aging: This warm-climate grape often loses too much acidity and fruit within the first seven years to make it a contender for longer-term aging. That said, a few producers (try Napa and Sonoma) have made some outstanding wines that will age 10–20 years. If you’re looking for this, check that the acidity and fruit are in balance with the tannin (they will be big but in balance!).
- Value: Looking for good value? California’s Central Valley (like the Lodi AVA) offers some of the best values from $10–18.
- Antioxidants: Petite Sirah is one of the deepest, most opaque red wines with very high levels of anthocyanin (an antioxidant). Similarly colored wines to Petite Sirah include Tannat and Sagrantino.
- Taylor Swift broke another music industry record with her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.
- Sold the most during the opening week. More than 4 million sales, just in the USA.
- Eclipsed Adele's 25 from a decade ago.
- This is Taylor's 15th album to go to #1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- Beatles had 19.
Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen canoodling on the singer's yacht this weekend, squashing rumors that their affair had fizzled out.
- They have both been married once, not to each other.
- She is 40 years old and he is 53.
- She is on her Lifetime Tour, which will end in December.
- She is worth around $360 million, he close to $100 million.
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