Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 2, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 9FOOD AND DRINK & MORE Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 9FOOD AND DRINK & MORE 
TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dillsthechefknows@yahoo.com
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
Read us online at: www. 
mtnviewsnews.com 
IT’S TIME FOR DESSERT 


Dessert before dinner? Why not? I have 
said many times in our teachings here thatif you like it, buy it. Over the holidays Ihosted a wine seminar at the Whole Foods 
in East Pasadena. Our list of wines included 
champagne, sangria, chardonnay, and a petitesirah, with price points ranging from $10 to$50 (yes, that was the Taittinger Champagne).
To my pleasant surprise the hit of the tastingswas a 2011 Petite Sirah from San Simeon 
Winery.

If you recall last weeks article on “fruit 
forward” and “jammy”, a petite sirah is oftena perfect starter wine for those just learningabout wines, or those who might want analternative to cabernet. Prices can range from

$8 to $30 for a bottle. At $18 for the San 
Simeon Sirah, this Orange County Fair gold medalwinner is a great value in my book. It is indeed a 
bit jammy, but that is perfectly acceptable withgrapes that are aged well. Petite sirah grapes werefirst introduced in France in the 1800’s, but reallynever caught on partly due to the high humidity inRhone. Here in California we have a drier climate 
so, much like the chardonnay grape, the petite sirahhas thrived. Originally, petite sirah was paired withzinfandel grapes to tone down that “jammy” effect.
Winemaker Anthony Riboli explains that they wereable to capitalize on the small grapes’ high skin-tojuice 
ratio and make an exceptional wine on it’s ownmerit without needing to be blended. This critic 
agrees -I think that this San Simeon treasure is 


especially appreciated during the winter and will gogreat with a beef stew or a spicy bowl of chili with orwithout beans. 

This weeks wine term: Tannins. Think of tannins 
as how the wine lies on or grips your tongue. 
Smooth? Rough? Neutral? Bitter? In layman’s 
terms, it’s “pucker power”. Let’s hope it’s not the lastone, bitter, that wouldn’t be good.

San Simeon Petite Sirah 2011 -Available at 
Mission Liquor and Vons stores throughout the SanGabriel Valley and beyond. 

Dills Score: 90 
Closure: Corked 
Listen to Dining with Dills KRLA AM 870 RadioSaturdays at 4 PM www.peterdills.com 


Serving: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, And Catering