Red Blend

Janell Dusi grew up among the vines — now, she’s crafting world class wines of her own. A fourth-generation Zinfandel farmer, her great-grandparents immigrated to Paso Robles from Italy in the 1920s and planted the first Dusi vineyards. After a childhood working the land, harvesting the grapes, and learning all about organic farming from her grandpa, Janell became the first to make wine from her family’s iconic fruit. She worked tirelessly to go from farmer’s daughter to vintner before starting her own label: J Dusi wines.

She and her beau, Billy, now run her wildly successful winery right down the street from where she grew up. She uses grapes from the same vines she ran through as a child — and it’s still a family affair.

Paso Robles isn’t just a haven for Zinfandel, it’s also the perfect place for Petite Sirah to shine. This blend of 95% Petite Sirah and 5% Zinfandel grapes was grown on trellised vines in a dry area with hilly terrain, resulting in large clusters with vibrant red fruit. It’s a full palate wine with a great balance of fruit and tannin that Janell says is “sure to leave a smile on your face.”

The can design – centered around the image of an old pickup – is an ode to Janell's grandfather. There was a fleet of these pickups on the Dusi farm (where Janell grew up), all doorless with a flatbed packed with old wooden crates of grapes. 

Janell is a country girl at heart, which means one thing when it comes to pairing this wine: BBQ foods – specifically, BBQ pork or beef, sautéed mushrooms, and anything with caramelized onions on top. If red checker table cloths aren’t your thing, Janell recommends honoring the Dusi Italian roots and sipping this red blend alongside a delicious za or red sauce spaghetti.

This blend of mostly Petite Sirah was grown at Dusi's secondary winery on trellised vines on the far side of Paso Robles. This area is dry and slightly hilly terrain creating large clusters in 2021 with vibrant red fruit. The dry winter conditions left the vineyards stressed and utilizing all their energy ripening the fruit for a late harvest in the season.

"What I love about this blend is the balance of fruit and tannin. It's full palate red wine that will leave you with a smile on your face."