Grape updates

Information is reaching us at all times through our many members of staff throughout the world who report on the ticker-tape day and night.

There is some breaking news about Persan, Peloursin and Petite Sirah already mentioned in recent entries to this Blog. Be careful though, it is a torrid tale.

First of all, Persan and Peloursin are not at all the same thing although both are obscure red varieties from Savoie. Peloursin has travelled the globe in various forms for the following reasons:

1). The vine is very vigorous.
2). It is upright.
3). It has a spreading habit of growth.

It is not regarded as good on its own and in Savoie was always blended with Persan.

Persan is not known ever to have been exported or indeed planted anywhere else than Savoie.

On its travels, Peloursin has met and had an affair with Syrah to produce Durif, sometimes mistaken for Petite Sirah in America. That is OK - these grape varieties get around a bit. However, there is a skeleton in Peloursin's cupboard and this consists of an incestuous crossing or what has been euphemistically called 'Field Blend' of Peloursin with Durif, making no doubt a slightly different Petite Sirah.

Poor Petite Sirah. As well as having this dubious background it has often been in reality Syrah and not Petite Sirah at all.

So, dear Slotovino reader, when you are presented with Petite Sirah from California, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Israel and no doubt other places, spare a thought for the 'related group of black grape varieties' and don't be too doctrinaire about what you are drinking.

Oh, and just in, Ruländer/Grauburgunder may sometimes suggest to the Germans a fuller (sweeter) wine than Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio. This could have something to do with the fact that each country has its predominant clone (Germany FR 49-207, France 52, Italy, H-1).

On Amazon we just discovered there is an entire book devoted to 'The History and Mystery of Zinfandel' by David Darlington (1991 - 304 pages!).