Simi Winery is a large production house that is know for it's Alexander Valley Cabernet. What Simi does right is present a full range of well made and will priced Sonoma County wines. They do have some real sleepers buried in their tasting room menu.
The 2008 Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah is one of them. While I usually find wines from this grape to be very inky, dark, brooding with a lot of tannins, this one is an exception. The dark raspberry rings through the caramel and mocha nose. The pallet is a wonderful panache of earth and wood with a long smooth finish. There is just enough acid under the tongue to keep it lively. And the tannins are fully integrated with the fruit. And at $30 per bottle it provides a wonderful accompaniment to roasts, stews BBQ and pork. We had it with grilled pork chops and it was superb.
Another Simi gem to look for is their Cuvee, a blend of Muscat and Gewurztraminer. Now muscats are now very sexy, and they have been traditionally very large selling wines out of tasting rooms. This one is something more, it is a sophisticated blend that goes very well with any assertively spiced food you can name, Cajun, Moroccan, Indian, Southwestern, Szechuan Chinese, etc. The nose is pure orange blossom and honeysuckle with a base of grapefruit pith. On the pallet, these flavor have a delightful acidic structure that allows the slight sweetness of the wine to warm up the tongue. The finish emphasizes the grapefruit pith and mixes with any spice you might think of. At $20 per bottle, this wine is a real sleeper.
Both of these beauties are available at the tasting room and on their web site. They are both worth seeking out.
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