Ice Wine Petite Sirah Germany Rheingau / Rheinhessen

Petite Sirah was first brought from France to America in the 1880s. It later went on to become one of the only grapes to make it through the devastating Phylloxera virus in the 1890s, both World Wars, and the Great Depression. During Prohibition, it was a main ingredient used to make sacramental wines. In fact, through the 1960s it was a major blending grape in a number of the finest wines produced in California.

By itself, a bottle of Petite Sirah usually has no problem making a quick impression on consumers. With a large amount of natural color and tannins, wines made with the grape commonly feature intensive sweet fruit characteristics like fresh raspberry or blackberry jam, black pepper spice, and plenty of backbone or structure.

There are a number of different styles available. Some concentrate on highlighting fresh, fruity flavors; others are bigger, more voluptuous; and it keeps going up the ladder until you reach the powerful, more machismo-style category.

As in many Old World countries, the rise of viticulture in Germany came about as a result of the Roman Empire, who saw the potential for vine cultivation in the vast flatlands around the base of the Rhine valley. Indeed, for over a thousand years, Germany's wine production levels were enormous, with much of the south of the country being used more or less exclusively for growing grapes. Over time, this diminished to make way for expanding cities and other types of industries, but Southern Germany remains very much an important wine region within Europe, with many beautifully balanced and flavorful German wines being prized by locals and international wine lovers alike. The hills around Baden-Baden and Mannheim are especially noteworthy, as these produce the high end of the characteristic semi-sweet white wines which couple so perfectly with German cheeses and pickled vegetables. However, all of Germany's wine producing regions have something special and unique to offer, and are a joy to explore and experience.

The region of Rheinhessen is the largest and most productive of all of Germany’s wine regions, and wine has been produced here since the Roman occupation of the country. It was favored by Charlemagne, too, whose influence was felt all over Europe, and Rheinhessen wines were at many points in history the height of fashion. Rheinhessen is bordered by the mighty river Rhine in the north and to the west, and is typified by its undulating topography - indeed, it is known locally as the ‘land of a thousand hills’.

The finest appellations in Rheinhessen are generally considered to be those in the Roter Hang (red slope), where the red sandstone soil imparts plenty of character and fascinating features. However, many popular and highly regarded wines from Rheinhessen are produced on the banks of the river Rhine, where the varied soils are full of interesting characteristics carried by the water. The majority of wines produced in this part of Germany are white, with sixty nine percent of the region’s total output being made up of Riesling and Muller-Thurgau varietal grapes. Red wines also thrive here, though, and Dornfelder is a popular varietal which is regularly praised for its depth and expression.