2018 Petite Sirah

Brothers Josh and Jake Beckett took the reins of their family’s iconic winery (established in 1988) in June 2019, but their father and the winery’s founder, Doug, is still very a much presence. In the early 2000s I had a number of fine wines here, mostly Zinfandels, but the Becketts have been seriously stepping up their game in recent vintages, especially since 2015. I find a greater degree of polish now, as well as brighter fruit and better tannin integration than a decade ago. These 2018s are a prime example of where this winery has been and is heading, showcasing energy and balance, even though there’s plenty of ripeness to the wines as well.