Spellbound Petite Sirah

Hello Wine Lovers!
Halloween is just around the corner and I love this time of year! The weather is changing and we all need to exchange our wardrobes from summer to fall, pumpkins, corn stalks, apple cider, bonfires and of course, it i time to drink some Sirah's. Spicy and sometimes tannic, the perfect wine for this time of year! Today's entry is Spellbound Petite Sirah from Robert Mondavi's son, Rob. The fruit is sourced from Lodi and is loaded with jammy flavors of dark berries, chocolate, coffee and a touch of vanilla. Some lots were aged in stainless steel and some lots aged in French and American oak barrels. The wine was then blended before bottling and then to market for $10! This wine is perfect for burgers on the grill while you hang out around the fire!
Let's talk a little about Petite Sirah... or also known as Durif.
Durif is a variety of red wine grape primarily grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel. It is the main grape known in the U.S. and Israel as Petite Sirah, with over 90% of the California plantings labeled "Petite Sirah" being Durif grapes. It produces tannic wines with spicy, plummy flavours. The grape originated as a cross of Syrah pollen germinating a Peloursin plant and is named after François Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier in France.It was in a Peloursin vineyard near the university that he discovered the unique vine that he named for himself in 1880. The grape's high resistance to downy mildew encouraged its cultivation in the early 20th century in areas like Isère and Ardèche, although the relative low quality of the resulting wine caused the grape to fall out of favor with local wine authorities. Today, it is almost nonexistent in France. When it is handled correctly you are rewarded with a mouth full of jammy fruit! served this wine with the recipe here from Pine Ridge Vineyards for braised boar. (I used pork shoulder) Enjoy!
Braised Wild Boar with Egg Noodles and Thyme
Serve with Onyx
Created by Winery Chef Eric C. Maczko

Ingredients:
6 pounds wild boar shoulder, boneless with excess fat removed
3 ounces 2003 Onyx
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour, as needed for dusting
Grapeseed oil, as needed for searing
2 white onions, quartered
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 quarts beef stock, preferably homemade
Aromatics (place all in a tea infuser for easy removal): 2 each of bay leaves,
thyme sprigs, juniper berries and cloves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6-8 cups egg noodles
1 tablespoon whole butter
Fresh thyme for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°. Dice meat into 1" cubes and toss with wine to marinade. After 1 hour, drain meat and pat dry with paper towels, reserving marinade. Season meat with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour. Heat sauté pan with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil over high heat and sear meat in batches, making sure all sides are nicely browned (drain spent oil between batches and replace with fresh oil). Remove meat to casserole dish or deep pan designated for braising.

Once all meat is seared, sauté onion in same sauté pan until lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes. Add tomato and sauté one minute more. Add marinade and scrape the pan into the casserole dish. Add stock, aromatics and vinegar, and cover with lid or foil. Braise in oven for up to 2½ hours, or until very tender.

While boar braises, any additional vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots or pearl onions can be prepared as desired to serve with the boar. Approximately 20 minutes prior to serving, cook noodles in well salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss noodles with butter while still warm, and place into small cups for individual servings.

When boar is finished, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove aromatics and skim any impurities that may have risen to the top. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Plate boar and vegetables in a shallow bowl. Top with stock and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.