Biale 2021 Petite Sirah “Royal Punishers” Napa Valley 95+ Points

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points: “Juicy black fruit presents on the palate as soft, supple, and well integrated in this memorable wine, which was aged in Burgundian oak for 17 months. It shows touches of baking spice, black pepper, and violet, with plenty of structure and texture.”

Vintage Notes (by winemaker): The growing season saw rain in January and February then almost no notable precipitation for the rest of the season. This provided an ideal environment for grapes to flower, bloom, and set in early spring. Budbreak was early in April followed by flowering and bloom in May. The summer saw early and even ripening with no concerning heat spikes. Everything tended early thanks to the calm spring with veraison appearing in early July. Due in part to the drought, yields were naturally lower, resulting in less dropping of fruit in the vineyards. It was one of the earliest starts to harvest on record. Harvest kicked off with clear skies and almost no weather events to worry winemakers. This allowed the grapes to hang as long as winemakers wanted to achieve optimal ripening and taste.