Today I am bringing you another “Catchup Monday” – Odonata: The Truth About Durif. Still getting caught up from my busy summer – but this is an interesting wine and worth your time to read this post!
THE STORY
We last visited Odonata in March 2022 and captured our experience here: Odonata Plays “Mystery Wine” with Decanting Monterey! During that tasting, we became intrigued by a varietal that we did not know or even taste – the Durif. I recalled being told at the time that it was like a South African Petite Sirah. But the facts say more. I was delighted that we finally opened this wine in August, giving us the chance today to dive deep into the Durif grape. Read on!
ABOUT ODONATA from their website:
“Winemaker Denis Hoey released his first commercial vintage when he was 21. He now blends old world methods with new world technique to make nouveau-style wines. He strives to produce wines that are rich, textured, and balanced, and that respect terroir and varietal character. His success is based on careful attention to detail and the purposeful use of each step in winemaking: grape sources, fermentation technique, pressing regiment, barrel selection, and aging program. The result is clean, focused wines.
“Hoey, a native of Sacramento, grew up in a family that appreciated wines and exposed him to a wide range of quality wines that helped develop his palate. In 2004, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Business Management. Soon after that, he met Jeff Emery, owner and winemaker at Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. Their relationship quickly turned into an Old World apprenticeship for Denis, and he became the production manager for SCMV before starting Odonata Wines in Santa Cruz in 2005.
“Hoey learned many of his cellar practices at Bison Organic Brewery in Berkeley working with a much more perishable product. This taught him the importance of giving careful attention to spoilage organisms. His continuing education involves following current trends in winemaking research from the major universities. He has traveled to Italy and France on several occasions to gain a broader perspective about European winemaking techniques and varietal fidelity. He maintains a sharp palate for quality and the nuances of wines by tasting, tasting, and more tasting. He continues to challenge himself to make better wine by learning from what others are doing well–or not so well!
“In 2014, Hoey and his wife, Claire, moved to the Santa Lucia Highlands where they are raising their family and running Odonata Winery. Their property includes a 2-acre vineyard, production facility, tasting room, and a welcoming patio where visitors can enjoy their unique wine.”
ABOUT DURIF:
From the bottle:
“What is Durif? This French varietal is a cross between Peloursin and Syrah. When brought to America, it was renamed Petite Sirah, but DNA testing has confirmed that it is, in fact, the original French Durif.”
The Wine Spectator “Ask Dr. Vinny” column has a good answer here: What’s the difference between Petite Sirah and Durif—or is there one?:
“”Petite Sirah” is the name Americans call the Durif grape. There are actually two different spellings of the variety—Petite Sirah, which is mostly widely used, and Petite Syrah, which is a bit of a throwback version, and unfortunately complicates the perception of Petite Sirah and Syrah being the same grape.
“Durif has a strange history. In the 1880s, French botanist François Durif crossed the Syrah and Peloursin grapes—some suspect by accident—to create Durif. But despite its origins being in France, it never really took off there—it’s practically nonexistent in the country today. But it thrived in California, where it has a strong following, and later it spread modestly to other parts of the world.” —Dr. Vinny
To add more details to what we have heard so far, JJ Buckley Fine Wines wrote this article, A Guide to Petite Sirah – Everything You Need to Know:
“The Petite Sirah grape is the offspring of two French grapes – Syrah and Peloursin. Both of the parent varietals come from the Rhone-Alpes region, while Petite Sirah originated further south near Tullins in southeastern France.
“In France and elsewhere outside of the United States, Petite Sirah is known as Durif. This name comes from Francois Durif, the French botanist in whose nursery the varietal originated in the 1860s.
“This varietal has been in California since 1884, when Charles McIver introduced it to his vineyards in the San Jose/Alameda County area. It waxed and waned over the years, falling out of favor in certain areas but holding true in places like Napa Valley and Livermore AVA.
“Other than California, there are a few wineries in Israel and Australia with Petite Sirah vineyards. But while it may have originated in France, modern Petite Sirah production in France is almost nonexistent.”
So, bottom line: Durif is what we in the US call Petite Sirah, a cross of Syrah and Peloursin grapes. The rest of the world calls it Durif.
THE WINE
I have just one wine to present to you today from Odonata. Winery notes come from the bottle. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2016 Odonata Durif, Machado Creek Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Clara County, 14.2%, $42 ABV (#1188)
Winery Notes: “The heavy soil structure of the vineyard backs the vibrant fruit with chewy tannins. Rose petals and smoky, candied fruit are dominant fixtures in the aromatics. In your mouth, blackberries, spices, and a luscious texture blend to create a powerful punch of flavor. This wine can be enjoyed with rich or spicy pastas, pork and all red meats.”
Wine Enthusiast – 91 points: “Sour black plum, purple flowers and licorice spice show on the nose of this bottling. More purple-flower flavors emerge on the sip, where the black-plum component rides a relatively lighter frame.” Matt Kettmann, October 2020
My Review: We bought this on a whim without tasting it. Purple in color. Plum, orange rind m, chalk, bubblegum and hot cocoa on the nose. Orange rind and chocolate on the dense jam of the chalky palate. Licorice and smoke on the finish. After it opened up, cinnamon was predominant on the finish. One of the most interesting wines I have enjoyed this year. August 2023
THE TASTING ROOM
“Nestled at the northern edge of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA and at the beginning of the River Road wine trail lies the Odonata Winery and Tasting Room. We hope you will stop by to sample a selection of our current releases!
Located at 645 River Road, Salinas, CA 93908 (tel: 831-566-5147)
Open 7 days a week (except major holidays) from 11 am to 5 pm. Open for Happy Hour on Fridays & Saturdays from 5-7 pm. No appointments are necessary for groups of 8 or fewer.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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