Don’t let the varietal name deceive you Operatives, there is nothing Petite about it! Where shall we start? The intensity, the structure, the fruit, the tannins, the finish, are all MASSIVE here. Let’s put it this way. Get this Petite on a stage and all other actors will fade instantly no matter how crucial their roles are! As critic extraordinaire Robert Parker endorsed; “Kenefick Ranch wines merit serious attention. Moreover, their prices make them good bargains given their lofty quality.” And not a hint of shyness here in any way might we add, all brawn, oomph, might, torque, and here’s the how and the why…

Pitch black in the heart, while amazingly youthful looking with its pale purple rim. The nose is jam-packed with ripe dark berry and plum fruit, with gentle earth tones complexity. Powerful and full throttle on the palate yet with a plush and balanced mouthfeel, offering layers of polished tannins and oak. The black and purple fruit flavors twist to a redder side on the bright, striking finish. Think earthy and smoky foods, smoked meats, spiced up curries or bold, rich stews for pairing ideas.

Can a Napa vineyard be better situated? Kenefick Ranch rises on an alluvial bench neighboring the Eisele Vineyard, where 100-point wines are consistently grown almost every vintage. Then the vines… those gnarly old, burlesque-burly tree-trunk Tonka-truck like upper Napa heritage Petite Sirah blocks are here at play folks, resulting in low yields of tiny berries that are all skin and little juice. The fruit grown on the legendary ranch of Dr. Tom Kenefick is so sought after that the family only holds back 10% of their harvest while the rest is divvied out through long term contracts with legendary names such as Caymus, Eisele, Nickel & Nickel, B Cellars, Cade, Elizabeth Spencer, Venge, and several other small producers.

Kent Jarman, who oversees the cellar at Kenefick Ranch while the family tends the pristine vineyards, is extraordinary talent, evidently so as the successor of none other than Heidi Barrett at Coup de Foudre as the winemaker and now a partner. This is cult wine territory to experience at HALF OFF, for just $20 and some change, don’t you snooze, there wasn’t much made or allocated for this library vintage.