Weekly wine deal: Petite Sirah

I have no idea why anyone would have thought the petite sirah grape should bear that name, even if it is an offspring of syrah. By and large, the wines made from this grape are teeth-staining brutes. A swell (and softer) introduction is the widely available Bogle Petite Sirah ($11), which has blackberry and black pepper notes but is smooth and fresh on the palate. With winter finally arriving, this is a great wine for braised and roasted meats or veggies.