Chronic Cellars Suite Petite 2021
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Blend: 90% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah
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Velvety notes of black cherry, coffee bean, and mocha line the mouth as dark plum, black olive, and black pepper wrap around a core of sleek tannins. While this daringly deep wine possesses strong grip, it finishes with elegant charm.
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Few brands combine style, substance and consistency like this one. This vintage’s Petite Sirah pops on the nose with black fruit, pepper, wild herb and light caramel. The palate is framed by firm but forgiving tannins that hold blueberry and peppery herb flavors together
Other Vintages
2019-
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The concept of Chronic Cellars came about in the midst of harvest in 2004. We had used the term "The Chronic" to describe likable objects before, but we had never considered it a suitable descriptor for wine. We sat alongside the crush pad one evening in our wine stained clothes and wet boots laughing about the idea of a wine that targeted a casual lifestyle.
Jake and I were raised in the heart of Paso Robles wine country. Wine and the art of wine making have been a part of our lives since the early 80's. After graduating from college we both returned to Paso Robles and joined the team at Peachy Canyon Winery. After a decade each of immersing ourselves in all aspects of the wine industry we decided to do our own project. We wanted to try something new and put the tools we have gathered to work on our dream. We had a vision and a desire to make our statement in the wine industry that we could not deny. After four years we took our first step toward Chronic Cellars.
From dream to reality, our first wines went public in 2008.
With its deep color, firm tannins and bold flavors, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah. The variety, originally known as Durif in the Rhône, took on its more popular moniker after being imported to California in the early 1880s. Quintessentially recognized today as a grape of the Golden State, Petite Sirah works well blended with Zinfandel and finds success as a single varietal wine in the state’s warmer districts. Somm Secret—Petite Sirah is not a smaller version of Syrah but it is an offspring of Syrah and the now nearly extinct French Alpine variety called Peloursin.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.