Don't underestimate the humble petite sirah grape

The petite sirah grape is an underappreciated California treasure. When I taste the Vina Robles Petite Sirah Estate, I am consistently amazed, especially by the 2014 vintage. Coming from an impressive West Coast winery, it has a dense, opaque, teeth-staining deep purple hue and tastes like it looks with notes of juicy blackberries, dark chocolate and spice. It’s also budget friendly, so you can sip it all weekend and won’t notice a change in your bottom line. 

$17. Available at Whole Foods Market

Glenn Bardgett is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine and wine director at Annie Gunn's.