Let me introduce you to the 2020 Red Earth Matchbook Petit Sirah from the exotic land of… Zamora, California. Never heard of it? Don’t worry, neither has 90% of the wine aisle. But hey, it’s a “single site wine” from a “family-owned” operation, which probably means someone’s uncle is stomping grapes barefoot behind a barn. No poetry about ocean breezes or ancient soils kissed by unicorns, just a little fluff in the tasting notes as expected — and just a nice little “here’s the wine, enjoy.” Bonus points for brevity.
Right off the bat, it poured like a proper Petit Sirah, but didn’t knock me out with jam — just kind of waved it in my general direction. Which I liked, actually. A lot of Petit Sirahs are like drinking a blackberry patch after it exploded in a tanning bed. This one? More restrained. Like it was raised right, but still has a wild side. The 13.9% ABV wasn’t subtle, but at least it didn’t try to wrestle me for my keys.
Now, let’s talk about day two, which is when things got serious. Mr. New York steak entered the chat, grilled to medium-rare perfection (because we’re not savages). And let me tell you, this wine showed up like it had been training for this pairing its whole life. The jam settled down, the dryness kicked up, and the tannins strutted in like they owned the place. Bold, balanced, and just enough puckeryishness (yes, that’s a word now) to make your cheeks reconsider their hydration levels.
All in all? Solid bottle. No wine snobbery, no overwrought poetry, just a California red that puts in the work for $7.99. I’ll definitely grab it again — and next time, I’ll make sure the steak knows it’s not the main character.
Types of Grapes: Petit Sirah
ABV % / Fun Juice Level: 13.9%
Origin: Zamora, CA
Grocery Outlet Price: $7.99….a deal!
