2012 Petite Sirah The Other

Proprietors Frank and Kathy Dotzler, along with their winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, have turned out superb wines in both 2012 and 2013. Because of its location on Howell Mountain, Outpost often plays to its own beat rather than following the trends of vintages in other parts of the valley. The 2012s are perhaps a bit stronger than the 2013s, although it is still quite early for both vintages. All that said, I was once again taken by both the Grenache and Petite Sirah, two wines that are often overlooked in a range that focuses on Bordeaux grapes. Any way you look at it, Outpost is making compelling wines that remain largely undiscovered and therefore still represent good value within the context of Napa Valley.

Outpost was one of the highlights of my tastings in Napa Valley this year. From bottle, the 2011s show all of the promise I have sensed in these wines from the very beginning. My first visit to Outpost in 2011 was in April, when the vines were still dormant and behind schedule relative to the valley floor, which is typical of Howell Mountain. When I stopped by in October of that year I was shocked to feel firsthand how much warmer and sunnier Howell Mountain was relative to the cold, foggy conditions on the valley floor. Those two experiences pretty much sum up how unique these hillside terroirs are. My first tasting of the 2011s was in the Spring of 2012, followed by periodic tastings every six months since then. It has been fascinating and highly educational to watch these wines during their elevage, but the truth is they were pretty special from the outset. The 2012s are, of course, much silkier and soft, but, they too show plenty of Howell Mountain character. In short, proprietors Frank and Kathy Dotzler, along with their longtime winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, did a fabulous job with all of these wines. Outpost fans may also want to read about the new project the Dotzlers are starting up with Brown that I describe under the Rivers-Marie wines in this article.