2016 King Estate Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah, Rogue Valley
90 Points, Wine & Spirits
Tasting Notes
The warm, semi-arid climate of Oregon’s Rogue Valley creates bold, big-flavored wines that stand out from the other cool climate reds of the Pacific Northwest. This rich, intense Petite Sirah is no exception with aromas and flavors of coffee, dark fruit, and black pepper. We are honored that you have selected this wine.
The inky purple color is the first indicator that a big, bold wine awaits. On the nose one detects blackberry pie, currant, cracked peppercorns, espresso and dark chocolate with hints of violet and lavender. Tannins are fleshy and grippy in the mouth. Lingering acidity on the finish balances out the tannins, resulting in a fine expression of Petite Sirah.
Winemaking Process
Cold soaked for 48 hours with daily pump overs. Fermented in a stainless steel open top tank with twice daily punch downs. Aged 17 months in new French oak.
Vintage Notes
The 2016 Oregon vintage turned out to be another in a string of remarkable years that has blessed the state with ideal growing conditions. The vintage started out early in western Oregon with average bud break occurring in mid-to late March. Unusually warm temperatures in April and May accelerated an “early season effect” which caused vineyards to go into bloom by the third week of June. The weather cooled substantially through August. The 2016 harvest began in early September and continued unabated until the end of the month, just in time to avoid the onset of rain in October.
Vineyard Notes
Fruit is from the 42-acre Carpenter Hill Vineyard, family owned and operated and located on a steep, east-facing slope at the base of the Siskiyou Mountains in Phoenix, Oregon. The warm, semi-arid climate of Oregon’s Rogue Valley creates bold, big-flavored wines that stand out from the other cool climate reds of the Pacific Northwest.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah
AVA: Rogue Valley, Oregon
Alcohol: 14.5%
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2016 King Estate Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah, Rogue Valley, Oregon Case:
12x 2016 King Estate Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah, Rogue Valley, Oregon
When King Estate was founded in 1991, it was driven by a commitment to sustainability and profound respect for the land. The adventurous spirit that inspired us from the beginning continues to guide us as we nurture our vineyards to craft premium Oregon wines.
The King Estate story is woven into the history of Oregon wine, where winemaking is synonymous with discovery and sustainability. The last 30 years have been focused on innovation, craft, and a deep sense of respect for the land, the vines, and the people who enjoy our wines. We have been establishing our traditions, one vintage at a time.
Crafted with an artisanal style that celebrates the unique characteristics of the Pacific Northwest, our sustainably grown and thoughtfully produced wines are world-renowned.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Lab rat reporting in. Long story short: this is an excellent petite sirah. Very representative of the species, but interesting enough to give you something to talk about while you drink it. It’s a beautiful inky dark pour, just as you’d expect. I found it to have a rich nose with lots of berries, let’s call it “forest fruits.” On the palate I found it nice and fruity – my first reaction was that you could almost trick me into thinking it was actually pinot noir or the like. (Maybe that’s the Oregon terroir talking? Or maybe I’m just a dummy, who knows?) But then come the tannins on the back – just enough to let you know that for sure it’s PS. It’s a little spicy, but not overly so – hits just the right note there, at least for my tastes.
Mrs. Z disagreed with my reaction at first – she found it more minerally and more “old world-y” than I did, characterized it as “earthy, not jammy” and said she kinda got mushroom notes. I didn’t see this at all. But our notes converged after half an hour – she started to agree with me about the forest fruits, and I halfway came to agree with her about the, um, rest of the forest, I suppose. Probably all this really tells you is that the wine is a little tight when first poured and very much benefits from breathing a bit. No surprise given the varietal.
We both continued to enjoy it very much as it opened up and it paired great with our dinner (rotisserie chicken, sourdough rolls, kale caesar salad with lots of anchovies – I think the wine was a particularly nice match with the pungent salad). The only other tasting note to add is that after it was open for a while, I started noticing prunes on the back of the palate, in a very enjoyable way.
We enjoy PS in this household already, and for our tastes this is definitely good stuff. If you enjoy the likes of, say, Madrigal or Stillman Brown’s takes on this grape, I’d think the odds are pretty good you’ll be into this one too. And I’d call it approachable enough that it shouldn’t scare off people who normally prefer something not as stereotypically “big” as PS is sometimes thought to be. Particularly at the case price, I’d call this excellent QPR and will certainly be ordering a case.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2016 King Estate Oregon Petite Sirah - $50 = 20.83%
Well Happy Southeast Sunny Saturday…
Savory Traveler (who?) had a Savory Sip of this a while back: The Carpenter Hill vineyard is located in Oregon’s Rogue Valley AVA and enjoys a warm, semi-arid climate, leading to a big and bold Petite Sirah. Jammy black fruit dominates, along with pepper, coffee, and noticeable tannins and acidity. The savory who is Tracy Onufer(?) 8/3/22
Looks like International Wine Report/Owen Bargreen sipped away (but was it a savory sip?) back in July 2019:
90 points. Sourced from the Rogue Valley AVA, this deep colored wine shows smoky and blue fruit aromatics. The terroir is evident on the mid-palate with a nice combination of blue and black fruits alongside some good minerality. Drink 2019 - 2023
Hmm can the Winery weigh in here?
Given IWR says drink 2019-2023 , given these are 2016, was the wine made to last longer than 10yrs or is this now more of a drink now?
I like to be able to save some wines for drink later… Nothing more fun than opening up a 15-20+ yr old bottle of wine with friends!
But need to know since I already have a bunch of “drink now” wines… so on the fence so to speak! @winedavid @winery@kingestate
@outdoorslife I don’t know the full story here, but this site has been offering “older vintage” wines from King Estate for some time. Generally things too old for retail markets, particularly the white wines. I do like King Estate wines as a local (OR) producer. Generally I don’t mind older whites (yes, I know this offer is a red). There is a different more complex subtle character, assuming it was a “good” wine to begin with. One batch was decidedly “on the edge” but I found it drinkable and kind-of interesting. Reminder: if you find older whites that you think taste “too old,” keep it near the stove and splash into chicken,fish,rice dishes.
This very wine does seem to be for sale on King’s website, for $63/bottle. Fermented in stainless steel, but aged for 17 months in New French Oak. And, PS typically cellars for a loooong time. I’ma hafta go in for some. And…yes I do have a coupon from my Meh purchase of Cheers!
Why I get sent labrat bottles for Chardonnay and Pinot, instead of something like this where I would be able to add a SUBSTANTIAL amount of value, I have no idea
2016 King Estate Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah, Rogue Valley
90 Points, Wine & Spirits
Tasting Notes
Winemaking Process
Vintage Notes
Vineyard Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$756.00/Case for 12x 2016 King Estate Carpenter Hill Vineyard Petite Sirah, Rogue Valley, Oregon at King Estate Winery
Not for sale on winery website, $300/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 12 - Wednesday, Jan 14
2016 King Estate Oregon Petite Sirah
4 bottles for $79.99 $20/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $189.99 $15.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Lab rat reporting in. Long story short: this is an excellent petite sirah. Very representative of the species, but interesting enough to give you something to talk about while you drink it. It’s a beautiful inky dark pour, just as you’d expect. I found it to have a rich nose with lots of berries, let’s call it “forest fruits.” On the palate I found it nice and fruity – my first reaction was that you could almost trick me into thinking it was actually pinot noir or the like. (Maybe that’s the Oregon terroir talking? Or maybe I’m just a dummy, who knows?) But then come the tannins on the back – just enough to let you know that for sure it’s PS. It’s a little spicy, but not overly so – hits just the right note there, at least for my tastes.
Mrs. Z disagreed with my reaction at first – she found it more minerally and more “old world-y” than I did, characterized it as “earthy, not jammy” and said she kinda got mushroom notes. I didn’t see this at all. But our notes converged after half an hour – she started to agree with me about the forest fruits, and I halfway came to agree with her about the, um, rest of the forest, I suppose. Probably all this really tells you is that the wine is a little tight when first poured and very much benefits from breathing a bit. No surprise given the varietal.
We both continued to enjoy it very much as it opened up and it paired great with our dinner (rotisserie chicken, sourdough rolls, kale caesar salad with lots of anchovies – I think the wine was a particularly nice match with the pungent salad). The only other tasting note to add is that after it was open for a while, I started noticing prunes on the back of the palate, in a very enjoyable way.
We enjoy PS in this household already, and for our tastes this is definitely good stuff. If you enjoy the likes of, say, Madrigal or Stillman Brown’s takes on this grape, I’d think the odds are pretty good you’ll be into this one too. And I’d call it approachable enough that it shouldn’t scare off people who normally prefer something not as stereotypically “big” as PS is sometimes thought to be. Particularly at the case price, I’d call this excellent QPR and will certainly be ordering a case.
No Indiana. I’m out.
@kookie00
Free the Grapes, Indiana
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2016 King Estate Oregon Petite Sirah - $50 = 20.83%
Well Happy Southeast Sunny Saturday…
Savory Traveler (who?) had a Savory Sip of this a while back: The Carpenter Hill vineyard is located in Oregon’s Rogue Valley AVA and enjoys a warm, semi-arid climate, leading to a big and bold Petite Sirah. Jammy black fruit dominates, along with pepper, coffee, and noticeable tannins and acidity. The savory who is Tracy Onufer(?) 8/3/22
Looks like International Wine Report/Owen Bargreen sipped away (but was it a savory sip?) back in July 2019:
90 points. Sourced from the Rogue Valley AVA, this deep colored wine shows smoky and blue fruit aromatics. The terroir is evident on the mid-palate with a nice combination of blue and black fruits alongside some good minerality. Drink 2019 - 2023
fwiw
Hmm can the Winery weigh in here?
Given IWR says drink 2019-2023 , given these are 2016, was the wine made to last longer than 10yrs or is this now more of a drink now?
I like to be able to save some wines for drink later… Nothing more fun than opening up a 15-20+ yr old bottle of wine with friends!
But need to know since I already have a bunch of “drink now” wines… so on the fence so to speak!
@winedavid
@winery @kingestate
@outdoorslife I don’t know the full story here, but this site has been offering “older vintage” wines from King Estate for some time. Generally things too old for retail markets, particularly the white wines. I do like King Estate wines as a local (OR) producer. Generally I don’t mind older whites (yes, I know this offer is a red). There is a different more complex subtle character, assuming it was a “good” wine to begin with. One batch was decidedly “on the edge” but I found it drinkable and kind-of interesting. Reminder: if you find older whites that you think taste “too old,” keep it near the stove and splash into chicken,fish,rice dishes.
This very wine does seem to be for sale on King’s website, for $63/bottle. Fermented in stainless steel, but aged for 17 months in New French Oak. And, PS typically cellars for a loooong time. I’ma hafta go in for some. And…yes I do have a coupon from my Meh purchase of Cheers!
Why I get sent labrat bottles for Chardonnay and Pinot, instead of something like this where I would be able to add a SUBSTANTIAL amount of value, I have no idea
@PetiteSirah I feel ya brothuh.