My good friend and wino mentor, Amanda, visited me recently and brought new a bottle of wine to try. She knows that I’m open to exploring, but that I am hesitant to taking the plunge into new varietals, so she brought me something different to try. The bottle of 2014 Maxville Petit Sirah was definitely a treat.

Maxville Lake Winery is in the Chiles Valley District of Napa Valley. In the 1960s, the Edward Keith family purchased the land and planted its first grapes in 1974. The more than 100-acre property sits on volcanic soil, which provide a prime growing condition. They practice sustainable farming in order to preserve the integrity of the property.

I didn’t know what to expect, but really enjoyed the flavor profile. It was a deep burgundy color, almost purple. It had such long legs on the glass. The deep aroma smelled of dark fruit and spice on the nose, which was the same on the palate. It had a slight dryness and a good balance of acidity. It also had a silkiness on palate. I saw it online for about $55 a bottle. I paired it with some homemade lasagna (Yum). 4/5.