Bogle Vineyards Petite Sirah 2017 Clarksburg, California, USA 75cl

Bogle Vineyards have farmed the land around Clarksburg for six generations, and Petite Sirah is one of the varieties they are best known for. The grape suits their bold, honest house style down to the ground, and this is the standard bottling that made the family’s name with dark-wine lovers.

Petite Sirah is a naturally dark, deeply pigmented variety, and Bogle lean into that character. Warm Californian days build the ripeness and colour, while the cooler Delta nights help hold the structure together, giving a wine that is powerful but not clumsy.

The 2017 vintage produced concentrated, well-coloured fruit, and a little bottle age has begun to soften the wine’s firm frame. It still has plenty of grip and will happily take a few more years in the rack for anyone who prefers their reds with some age.

In the glass it is inky and brooding, with blackberry, blueberry and dark plum, a twist of black pepper and a savoury, faintly smoky edge. The tannins are firm and grainy, giving a mouth-filling, structured finish at 14.5% that calls out for food.

This is a red that wants a plate in front of it and works best with a little air. Pour it with grilled steak, smoky barbecue, a rich beef stew, venison or a mature hard cheese. Decant it half an hour ahead and it will reward the patience with real depth. This is a red for people who like their wines dark, structured and unafraid of a bit of muscle, and it is all the better for a hearty plate.