2009 Relic Petite Sirah Old Vines Calistoga Frediani Vineyard

(from Frediani Vineyard vines planted in the 1940s and cropped in 2009 at about 1.5 tons per acre): Bright medium ruby. Crushed blackberry and blueberry accented by licorice on the nose. Densely packed and sweet if a bit youthfully unrefined. The chewy, rather powerful tannins avoid coming off as dry, but I'd still hold this wine for at least three years before popping the cork. Tricky to assess today. This very warm site off the Silverado Trail north of Calistoga is widely considered to be ideal for growing petite sirah.