Wattle Creek Winery The Triple Play

Wattle Creek Winery The Triple Play is a Rhône-inspired red blend of Syrah, Viognier, and Petite Sirah from Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, in a standard 750ml bottle. What distinguishes this wine is its co-fermentation technique — roughly 6% Viognier is fermented alongside the Syrah, a traditional Northern Rhône method that lifts the wine's aromatics and adds floral complexity without diluting its dark-fruited power. Individual vintages have scored as high as 90 points from critics.

Quick Facts: ABV: Varies by vintage  |  Origin: Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California  |  Style: Red Blend (Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah)  |  Producer: Wattle Creek Winery

Production & Heritage

Wattle Creek Winery farms vineyards in Alexander Valley, one of Sonoma County's warmest appellations and a region long recognized for producing bold, structured red wines. The Triple Play takes its name from the three-grape composition: Syrah forms the backbone, Petite Sirah adds tannic grip and inky color, and a small portion of white Viognier — approximately 6% — is co-fermented with the Syrah. This co-fermentation mirrors the practice used in Côte-Rôtie, where the Viognier's floral and stone-fruit aromatics stabilize color compounds and add perfume to the finished wine. After fermentation, the blend ages for 15 months in barrel before bottling, allowing the oak to integrate without overwhelming the fruit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with powerful, sweet-ripe blackberry and wild berry aromas, followed by layers of wilted rose and black currant. Deeper notes of mocha, dark chocolate, toasty oak, and tarry molasses emerge with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is dense and fruit-forward, delivering concentrated blackberry and blueberry flavors that shift into currant, tobacco, and smoked meat at mid-palate. Black pepper builds steadily through the mid-palate toward a peak of spicy, cedary warmth. The wine is dry, medium- to full-bodied, and firmly tannic, with enough acidity to maintain structure through each layer.

Finish: The finish is long and savory, trailing off with lingering black pepper, cedar, and a faint hint of vanilla. The tannins remain present but resolved, leaving a slightly smoky, earthy impression that invites the next sip.

How to Drink The Triple Play

This blend is at its best at cellar temperature, around 60–65°F, poured into a large-bowled glass that allows the aromatics to open fully. Decanting for 30 to 45 minutes softens the tannins and brings the Viognier's floral lift into sharper focus. While primarily a wine for the table, The Triple Play also works in wine-forward cocktail formats: a Kalimotxo (red wine and cola over ice) benefits from its dark fruit intensity; a New York Sour uses the wine's color and tannin as a dramatic float over whiskey sour; and a Sangria built with brandy, citrus, and seasonal stone fruit lets the Syrah's peppery spice shine through.

Best For

• Pairing with a weekend barbecue featuring smoked brisket or ribs
• Gifting to a red wine enthusiast who appreciates Rhône-style blends
• Building a Sonoma County tasting flight alongside single-varietal Syrah and Petite Sirah
• Cellaring for two to five years to allow tannins to soften and secondary flavors to develop

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Triple Play taste like? The Triple Play delivers concentrated blackberry, currant, and blueberry flavors layered with black pepper, tobacco, smoked meat, and cedar. It is dry, medium- to full-bodied, and firmly tannic with a long, savory finish.

How does The Triple Play compare to a Northern Rhône Côte-Rôtie? Both wines use co-fermented Viognier with Syrah to lift aromatics, but The Triple Play adds Petite Sirah for deeper color and more aggressive tannin, while Côte-Rôtie typically shows more restrained, mineral-driven character from its granitic soils. The Alexander Valley warmth gives The Triple Play riper, more fruit-forward intensity than most Northern Rhône bottlings at similar price points.

Is The Triple Play good for sipping neat? Yes — its layered aromatics, complex mid-palate, and extended finish make it well-suited for contemplative drinking on its own, particularly after 30 to 45 minutes of decanting.

Where is The Triple Play made? The Triple Play is produced by Wattle Creek Winery using fruit from Alexander Valley, a sub-appellation of Sonoma County in Northern California known for warm days, cool nights, and gravelly soils that favor bold red varieties.

What foods pair well with The Triple Play? Smoked brisket works well because its fat and char mirror the wine's smoky, peppery notes. Braised lamb shanks complement the wine's tannic structure and dark fruit. Aged cheddar or Gruyère match the cedar and tobacco undertones. Grilled portobello mushrooms echo the earthy, savory elements. Dark chocolate desserts align with the mocha and cocoa aromatics on the nose.

What sizes does The Triple Play come in? The Triple Play is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is The Triple Play worth the price? The Triple Play positions as a mid-range Sonoma County red blend, and its co-fermentation technique, 15-month barrel aging, and three-varietal complexity deliver notable depth relative to its price tier. For drinkers exploring Rhône-style California blends, it represents strong value against single-vineyard bottlings that can cost significantly more.

Why The Triple Play?

The co-fermentation of Viognier with Syrah is a technique most commonly associated with the finest producers in Côte-Rôtie, and Wattle Creek applies it here with genuine purpose — the floral lift and aromatic complexity it adds are immediately evident on the nose. The addition of Petite Sirah, a grape that thrives in Alexander Valley's warm climate, gives the wine a tannic backbone and depth of color that pure Syrah blends often lack. With 15 months of barrel aging providing structure without excessive oak influence, this is a wine that rewards both immediate drinking and short-term cellaring. For anyone seeking a Sonoma red blend that goes beyond straightforward fruit, The Triple Play earns attention through its winemaking decisions rather than marketing polish.