Michael David Petite Petit 2014

This is my “cheater” big bold red. Like training pants, this is the wine that subtly introduced me to the heartier wine style. So, now, when I’m in the mood for a good wine with substance — but I don’t want to fight with decanting an age-old cellar stasher or fight with the modern-day tannin bombs — I turn to Michael David Petite Petit. That’s a fact.

PS Yes I love elephants. Can you see my elephant drinking in the background?

About the Wine: David Michael winery hails from the underrated region of Lodi in California. I feel like this area gets a bum rep, especially in the California world of wine — since we can also boast Napa, Sonoma, and Paso. But Michael and David of Michael David Winery are 5th generation winemakers with family farm roots that date back to the1850s. So, they’re a family of century-old grape-growers. A fine tradition in my book.

This particular Michael David offering is made from 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot grapes from Lodi. Aged 16 months in French oak. 14.5% ABV

Flavor Profile: Love the look of this wine. It’s dark, thick, inky, exuding an air of sensual mystery. The aromas amplify that sensation: as you breathe in the dark fruits — blueberries, plums — you get a distinct damp forest floor feel as well. Take a sip and become immersed in that image: a dark, but fertile forest filled with fruits bursting at their seams. But you can’t see anything — the forest is too dark. Nay, you must rely on your senses and what you sense are not only those plush plums, those busting blueberries, but also the rain that has nourished them, the minerals that have fed them, the damp and danky air that surrounds them.

Ok, enough poetry. What I’m trying to say here is that this is for sure a full bodied red wine. The tannins, the fruits, and the acidity, come at you all at once in perfect balance. So you are never, at any point during your tasting, getting a “hit” of acidity or a tanniny tongue texture. No, all these flavors work as one, together, from start to finish. The tannins work hand in hand with the fruit, with the acidity, for a perfectly smooth, round texture and well-rounded flavor profile.

Food Pairing: This wine, in my book, is not about the food. It’s about your mood. When i’m in the mood for something dark and somewhat “fantastical” (by that I mean, “fantasy-like;” ie: my forest scenario), that is when I pull out this wine. And to be quite frank, I’ve had this with salad, steak, and pizza — all work well because with this wine its about your mindset (and I’d argue your soul-set).

More Info: Michael David actually has quite a large library of wine, and I’ve got one other in my cellar I’m quite eager to review. But I will tell you this right now, what I’d like to taste from Michael David is their single varietal Petit Verdot Reserve and (I just realized they make this) their Old Vine Cinsault (also reserved).

Michael David Petite Petit is available in most consumer grocery stores. I was able to find this bottle at Safeway (Sale Price: $12).

For more information about Michael David, their available wines (and to peruse their Reserve list), please do visit the Michael David Winery website.

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