Notes has covered Jeff Runquist wines on several occasions since first meeting the winery, and it’s a staple on my dinner table even when not covered in these pages. The 1448 in particular, and the Runquist Petite Sirah first on my birthday back a few years ago. On that happy occasion I sampled the Sirah first on a winestore tasting machine and, having enjoyed that experience so much, had it for dinner that night at Del Frisco’s in Charlotte. Good memories of all that…

2017 Z R. Salman Vineyard Petite Sirah, Jeff Runquist Wines, Plymouth, CA.

Let’s be clear. This is great juice; big and full mouthfeel that hurls the dark fruits at your palate. It pours—like all my favorite Sirah—so purple in your glass that it’s nearly black. You smell blackberry and plum and try to think of other dark berries as the notes waft up at you from the glass. This 2017 finishes so smooth that you come back for another glass, and then another refill without even noticing the bottle has quietly slipped out the back door.

I’m not yet sure of the significance of the Z. R. Salman Vineyard and will research that and share here on another day. Know that this 2017 accompanied first a fiercely contested game of rummy 500 and then a “make it up as you go” dinner. Mine consisted of kale, sausage, garlic, leeks, and green onion over quinoa (sambal oelek as an accent)—an interesting mashup of spices to which the Z. R. Salman Petite Sirah held up very well.

Here are notes from a gent (Jim Gordon) more polished than me: “Big, spicy and almost sweet, this showy and full-bodied wine overflows with chocolate, baking-spice and blackberry syrup flavors. It’s tannic, but the richness of the fruit and the sweet-seeming oak component soften it nicely.”

Always enjoy a day that includes a little Runquist and know you will too. Thanks for reading and enjoy your holiday weekend.