Blaterle Petite Sirah Red Blend Argentina Salta

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 the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.

For lovers of New World wine, the region of Salta is generally regarded as being amongst the finest and most geographically interesting in the world. Situated at the extreme north of Argentina, Salta is a wine region which is both at an impressively high altitude, as well as an extremely low latitude, being a mere twenty four degrees from the equator. However, these two factors cancel each other out when it comes to viticulture, producing a superbly warm and fertile environment for the cultivation of vineyards. The mountainous landscape of Salta reaches elevations of up to 3,000 meters above sea level, an astonishing figure which demonstrates just how unique the region is. Within the main wine provinces of Cafayate and Molinos, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes (the region's flagship varietals) grow to full ripeness in the blazing sunshine, and produce exceptionally flavorful wines.