This one’s a keeper. When perusing the shelves at the local wine shops, I’m looking for a mix: daily, weekly and monthly wines. It’s easy to find the great, special wine that carries a $50+ price tag to match. 

But finding that reliable wine that has plenty of character and interest without breaking the bank can be a challenge. It means experimenting and taking chances on wines that often end up with a quick visit to the kitchen drain.

This 2005 Bogle Petite Sirah is not one of them. At $9.99 it’s an everyday wine: reliable, well priced, and with decent flavor.

I’ve learned decanting is a must with this one. Or at the very least, let it stand in the bottle or your glass for at least 30-45 minutes. The tannins will relax. I’ve read reviews of this wine that complain about the aggressive tannins. I agree it’s likely if you don’t give it time to breathe. Note that last week when I reviewed the Virgin Wines Shiraz I (like always with our tastings) I tried decanting also, but with no better result.

On to the tasting notes:

• “fruit-forward, but agreeable on finish”
• “I like the slight vanilla notes, it complemented the cherry nicely”
• “Bogle: an easy going friend” 
• “The aroma from the nose is wonderful… I might have hoped for more to follow, but it was decent enough.” 

STARKSILVERCREEK WINE REVIEW

2005 Bogle Petite Syrah 
Bogle Vineyards, Graton, California
Petite Syrah, Alc. 13.5%
750ml
$9.99 (Trader Joe’s)

Clint says: A dependable daily wine. Enough character to keep it interesting. Let is breathe first though.

Rating: 87 out of 100

Clinton Stark
Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Fan of Napa (and Diet Coke)

Clint co-founded StarkSilverCreek and writes about social media, arts, wine, indie film, and his trusty Droid. An aging ice hockey player, he tries in vain to direct Loni in SSC videos. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, Clint is a Silicon Valley and new media entrepreneur. From the early PC clone days in the 80’s, to the explosion of telecom and networking in the 90’s, and now to social networking, Web 2.0 and software-as-a-service, Clint has successfully built businesses and start-ups into multi-million dollar operations. Recently as VP marketing he spearheaded the launch of a $110M company. But that was then.

Twitter: @clintonstark More: articles bio

Stay up-to-date on All Things West Coast
Join: StarkSilverCreek Facebook Fan page
Follow: twitter.com/SSCWestCoast
Go mobile: SSC iPhone app
Send press/requests/events to: press@starksilvercreek.com