The vineyard was established in 1878 at the foot of Howell Mountain in the central east side of Calistoga AVA. The current vines were grafted with Petite Sirah on St. George rootstock in 1968, which allowed the vineyard to escape the second wave of phylloxera. The current owner has not rushed into making money (he has not replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon), and has been able to preserve this valuable vineyard. The soil is an old stream deposit with lots of rocks, and during the hot days and mornings in Calistoga, it is affected by the cold winds that come in from the Sonoma side to the west. Fermentation is done in large open redwood barrels, and aging is done in French barrels (30% new barrels). When grown in the right spot for Petite Sirah, it is darker in color than Zinfandel and has a stronger nuance of spice. The taste is mellow and juicy. Production volume is about 190 cases/year.
Technical information
Brewing: Fermentation in large open redwood barrels used in the 1980s (soft finish), natural yeast, all by hand, aged in French barrels (30% new barrels).
Comment from Joel Peterson
Petite Sirah grown in the right conditions can be darker and more spicy than Zinfandel. It has a deep color and a grand finish, but is never heavy.
The 2019 vintage is packed with a variety of fruits, including black currant, blackberry, and black pepper, and the tannins, which can often be too astringent, have been balanced in a Petite Sirah thanks to the right place, timely harvest, and precise vinification.
Field Information
Palisades Vineyards
This small vineyard of approximately 0.4 hectares is one of the few vineyards in Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon is in its heyday, that carefully cultivates old Petite Sirah vines.
The vineyard was planted in 1878 and taken over by the Italian immigrant Barbaris family in 1908, who founded Bonded Winery No. 118.
Although the winery did not survive the Prohibition era, grape cultivation has been passed down to the present day, and their son Frank grafted Petite Sirah onto St. George rootstock in 1968, which helped the winery avoid a second phylloxera outbreak.The current owners have not rushed into making money (by not replanting with Cabernet Sauvignon), and have been able to preserve this valuable vineyard.
The soil is a gravel-filled deposit from an old stream, and during the hot days and mornings in Calistoga, it is a paradise for Petite Sirah, influenced by the cool winds that come in from Sonoma to the west.
Vintage: 2019
Capacity: 750ml
Type: Red wine
Taste: Full-bodied
Main variety: 100% Petite Sirah
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: California
AVA: Napa Valley
Nested AVAs: Calistoga
Vineyard: Palisades Vineyard
Note: Limited stock vinous 93P Jan.2021 by Antonio Galloni
Winemaker: Joel Peterson
Vinification: Fermented with wild yeast in open redwood barrels
Aging: French barrel aging (30% new barrels)
Rating: 90P or above
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 14.6%