While many winemakers treat Petite Sirah like Cabernet, Winemaker Natalie West prefers gentle handling of her Estate Petite Sirah and goes so far as to treat it like her Pinot Noir. Once in the cellar, the Petite Sirah experiences a gentle press and is fermented in open top fermenters with punch downs three times a day. To help control tannins Natalie only uses 30 percent new oak. While most of the oak is French, she does like a touch of American oak to add a little sweetness to the finish. After the aging process the barrels are blended before bottling.