American Heritage Petite Sirah - Aratas Wine Napa Valley

Harvest of Gold

The unique brand is a partnership founded on decades of experience in our country’s food and wine culture. Founding Vintner Stephanie Douglas and Co-Proprietors, John and Mickey Chohany established Aratas Wine in the Napa Valley in 2008. They have a committed focus on Petite Sirah but produce other wines which reflects single vineyard sites from diverse AVAs in the valley. About that name… Aratas, by definition means a “harvest of gold” and was chosen to honor the Chohany’s Hungarian heritage.

American Heritage

Petite Sirah

Petite Sirah, is also known as Durif and may be referred to as Petite by wine enthusiasts. This noble varietal designated an “American Heritage Varietal” **was introduced to American soil in 1878.

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Our Team

Founder and Brand Director, Stephanie Douglas is the creative partner and passionate force behind Aratas Wine. From a bay area family with early ties to California’s wine export and distribution business; her roots are firmly planted in the Napa Valley. John and Mickey Chohany, are founding partners whose Hungarian heritage gave name sake to Aratas. Like Petite Sirah, these brothers are ardent, bold, multifarious and extremely entertaining.

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History of Petite Sirah

1878

Introduced

This noble varietal designated an “American Heritage Varietal” was introduced to American soil by Frenchman Francois Durif.

1880's

First plantings

The vine once mistakenly thought to be a new dwarf, low-yielding, hearty syrah was planted in abundance throughout California via the system of missions and mistakenly labeled a “petite” syrah clone.

1890's

Petite S Thrives

A deadly root louse, destroyed virtually every native European grape vine planted in California yet the voluptuous ‘PS’ managed to thrive and by the mid 1900’s was one of the most popular varietals grown in California.

1930's

Plantings Peaked

Planting peaked during prohibition as the grapes were found suitable for shipment across the country- for clerical and strictly personal purposes of course.

1974

Popularity

By 1974 Petite Sirah was the most widely planted variety in California.

1995

Competition

Amount of Petite Sirah planted to vine hovered below 2500 acres due to years of other noble varietals migrating from Europe to support a state wide replanting trend to replace aging vines.

2013

Bill HR 9 Passed

California passes bill HR 9 which recognizes the contribution of the state's living historic vineyards to the agricultural and social heritage aiming to preserve some of the first Petite Sirah vines.

2023

Popular Again

Currently this voluptuous, age worthy varietal is once again back in popularity with a dynamic increase in plantings (over 18,000 acres CADFA/USDA 2023).