Petite Retreat versus Petite Sirah Symposium

In 2002, Louis Foppiano, at Foppiano Vineyards, asked if I’d organize and produce a Petite Sirah Symposium, at his winery. At the time, there were only 62 growers and producers combined to invite. We also invited a few media people. A little over 30 interested in Petite Sirah professionals came, together ready to learn; and, they were also ready to take a stand for Petite Sirah. As they stated, “Petite Sirah has fallen off the earth. Nobody even knows what it is anymore. We need publicity for this variety.”

By the end of the day, I was ready to take on the challenge. Bam! PS I Love You was born in October of 2002.

For the next five years, Foppiano continued on with the tradition of the symposium doing a lot to advance the variety. Awareness grew, as did membership for this small production variety. Passion was greater than the acres being planted to it. Still, quietly via tasting room and direct to consumer sales sales, along with wine club parties and wine club member wines, case sales quietly slipped out of winery doorways. Media and consumers, unless they had tasted Petite in tasting rooms, were completely unaware of the growth or passion behind Petite.

• Acreage had been on a rise since its low in 1995 of 1,738 to 4,741 in 2002
• Six years later in 2008, acreage had a risen from that 2002’s 4, 741 to 2008’s 6,859 acres
• And it continues to climb with today’s acreage being more than 11,000 acres

If these numbers are any indication, and I believe they are, Petite Sirah is a classic Tortoise and Hare story.

Foppiano had taken Petite to the point that they wanted, raising awareness. It then became time to let someone else host the event, which I thought had ended with Foppiano. Concannon Vineyard wanted more and was standing in the wings, more than happy to continue to support Petite Sirah’s cause… awareness. From 2008 until 2013, Concannon took awareness among the trade to a new level, continuing in Foppianos field boots. At the end of 11 years, it was time to just go catch our breath and let everyone make some fine Petite Sirah wine.

Grape growers and winemakers have been six years, nose to the grindstone, albeit a pretty creative one at that. Critical acclaim is definitely growing, and now it’s time to circle back for a bit. It’s time for a “re treat” of Petite. (Ask any fan of Petite and they’ll tell you it’s a real treat to be enjoying Petite.)

For the attendees, the treat will be having their tasting after the event; however, we’re also going to have a tasting during the presentations, by Miro Tcholakov of Trentadue and Miro Cellars.

So, for this year, the name has changed from Symposium to Retreat. We’ll be meeting at The Vineyard Club in Geyserville; a tranquil spot, where distractions won’t be traffic or winery machinery. It might be a duck call or two, or a Piper Cub overhead. This think tank is going to be on a quiet pond, which should get some new and interesting juices flowing.