February 26, 2008

L. A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2005

VARIETAL: Petite Sirah
REGION: Baja, California/Mexico
PRICE: $10
I must admit I was a bit intrigued by the origins of this wine. I had never tasted a wine from the Baja peninsula and after closer inspection of the label I was a bit confused about whether or not the wine is considered a Mexican or California wine. Research only led to more confusion so I just had to crack it open and see what it was all about.

At first whiff the L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah is quite appealing. Lots of jammy fruit on the nose and a hint of spice. But the romance stopped there. I don't know if this bottle was a little cooked, or just past its prime, but there was nothing appealing about the taste. I found the fruit to be a bit bitter on the palate and for a Petite Sirah, it lacked lushness and any sort of finish. No kidding, I mean there was NO finish, zero taste in your mouth after the first few bitter sips. Weird . . . and disappointing after reading so many glowing reviews of previous vintages. Perhaps I'll give it another shot down the road. . . way down the road.

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