This rich, spicy Petite Syrah is produced from vineyards on the foot of Mt. Diablo, at the edge of the San Francisco Bay. Kent Rosenblum is a veterinarian who started as a wine enthusiast, making wine at home, and eventually founded his own winery in 1978. He still personally oversees the winemaking of all 30 wines that Rosenblum bottles these days, pulling from many old, small lot vineyards. The vines producing this Heritage Clones Petite Syrah are between 80 and 100 years old.

This wine exhibits great color and a bouquet with flavors of ripe blackberries, plums, chocolate, black pepper, violets and spice. Contra Costa will soon be known as the Mecca for Petite Sirah. This wine is amazing both in aromatics and flavors, not to mention the color, which is jet black.

Alcohol: 13.9%

Food pairing suggestions:

Sausage ragu, barbecued smoked prime rib, leg of lamb on a bed of thyme, or pot roast.