Mencia Petite Sirah Rose / Blush Germany Pfalz

Petite Sirah was first brought from France to America in the 1880s. It later went on to become one of the only grapes to make it through the devastating Phylloxera virus in the 1890s, both World Wars, and the Great Depression. During Prohibition, it was a main ingredient used to make sacramental wines. In fact, through the 1960s it was a major blending grape in a number of the finest wines produced in California.

By itself, a bottle of Petite Sirah usually has no problem making a quick impression on consumers. With a large amount of natural color and tannins, wines made with the grape commonly feature intensive sweet fruit characteristics like fresh raspberry or blackberry jam, black pepper spice, and plenty of backbone or structure.

There are a number of different styles available. Some concentrate on highlighting fresh, fruity flavors; others are bigger, more voluptuous; and it keeps going up the ladder until you reach the powerful, more machismo-style category.

As in many Old World countries, the rise of viticulture in Germany came about as a result of the Roman Empire, who saw the potential for vine cultivation in the vast flatlands around the base of the Rhine valley. Indeed, for over a thousand years, Germany's wine production levels were enormous, with much of the south of the country being used more or less exclusively for growing grapes. Over time, this diminished to make way for expanding cities and other types of industries, but Southern Germany remains very much an important wine region within Europe, with many beautifully balanced and flavorful German wines being prized by locals and international wine lovers alike. The hills around Baden-Baden and Mannheim are especially noteworthy, as these produce the high end of the characteristic semi-sweet white wines which couple so perfectly with German cheeses and pickled vegetables. However, all of Germany's wine producing regions have something special and unique to offer, and are a joy to explore and experience.

The beautiful German wine region of Pfalz is the second biggest in the country, and is upheld as one of the finest in all of central Europe. A long and narrow region, just nine miles wide, it sits on the French border, and shares many characteristics with Alsace on its western border. This is a peaceful, verdant region, where grapevines outnumber inhabitants by a ratio of six hundred to one, and as such, it comes as no surprise to find that the wines produced here are laid back, elegant affairs which pair perfectly with the slow-cooked cuisine of the region.

The history of Pfalz is an impressive one, and before the phylloxera epidemic wreaked its effects on the region, it was widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Indeed, the Riesling wines of Pfalz used to grace the tables of the crowned heads of Europe, and were even served at the dinner which heralded the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The fine old vines which grow there benefit from the warm and dry summers (this is the warmest region of Germany by far), and the very mild winters which produce wines of extraordinary balance and expression.