Narsai David Wine Review: Two Fine Wines From Concannon Vineyard

Narsai David is the KCBS Food and Wine Editor. He has been a successful restaurateur, chef, TV host, and columnist in the Bay Area spanning four decades. You can hear him Saturdays at 10:53am, 12:53pm and 4:53pm, and at 2:53am Sunday on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM
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LIVERMORE (KCBS) - Concannon Vineyard in the Livermore Valley was the first winery to produce a petite sirah back in the mid-1960s. The two wines featured here come from its conservancy vineyards.

Concannon was very instrumental in creating an area where California vineyards are protected from urban development. The lands in the conservancy must remain vineyards and cannot be used for other kinds of production or building.

KCBS Food and Wine Editor Narsai David:

The 2008 Conservancy Petite Sirah has rich, lush, ripe fruit aromas over an intensely deep red color, almost purple. There are also ripe, black berry flavors with a fine balance of acid and tannin. It comes $15 a bottle.

Here's a wine for meat lovers, steaks, or barbequing right now. But it would be wonderful to age it for a few years. It's rich and firm with its tannic back note.

In the 2009 Conservancy Crimson and Clover, bright, ripe fruit aromas lead to a very special mouthful of wine. This is 50 percent petite sirah with cabernet sauvignon, syrah and zinfandel.

The almost floral, fruit-forward aromas accompany an absolutely delicious berry flavor. It's a beautiful wine whose fruit lingers long on the palate, with a remarkable price of $18.

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