Petit Verdot grapes

Petit Verdot is a kind of red wine grapes. This grape was used as a blend in the classic Bordeaux.

It is a classic black grape variety. The berries are thick- skinned and add a certain depth to the color of wine.

The love for the wine is quite non- consistent as it has ripening issues. It ripens a little later or rather much later as compared to other Bordeaux varieties.

This is the main reason why the love for this grape variety faded a bit. But, nonetheless, the grape managed to come back to the favorite list of the growers as well as wine lovers.

The wine that is produced from Petit Verdot is dark colored, heavy tannin and strong flavored. The aroma of the wine is also quite flowery and it carries spicy notes.

The wine is also known by many other names like Bouton, Heran, Carmelin, Lambrusquet, Petit Verdot Noir, Petit Verdau, Verdot Rouge and Verdot.

Origin of Petit Verdot

The origin of this grape variety is not exactly known. Petit Verdot was the most applauded grape variety for Bordeaux chateaux during 1700’s in the Medoc.

The downfall started when some portion of the Left Bank was eradicated due to the many famous phylloxera attack which happened in 1800’s.

The bad luck for this grape didn’t stop here. In the year 1956, the frost again wrecks havoc on Petit Verdot and a portion of it was again eradicated.

1960 marked the revival of Petit Verdot. It came back in the circuit. In the year 1970, somewhere in the middle of the year, it reappeared in California.

Reaching the 21st century, this grape variety had again claimed its position. Today, this wine retains its lost spot and is now it is grown in many regions of the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Spain and Europe.

This grape variety is now used independently for making wines. The wine is quite loved among the wine lovers.

Characteristics of Petit Verdot

The most important thing to mention abut Petit Verdot is the color it lends to the wine. The berries of Petit Verdot are dark colored and this character is evident in the wines made from this grape.

The wine flaunts a dark black- violet inky hue. The reason behind this is the high content of anthocyanins (which gives the pigment to the wine) in the grapes; it lends a deep color to the wine.

The grape also carries natural acidity. Talking about the tannin, the credit of its high tannin levels goes to the small berries that carry a high ratio of seeds and skin to juice.

Talking about the flavor profile of Petit Verdot, the wines ooze out a very strong aroma of flowers and olives.

When more ripened, it gives out blueberry characteristics. The wine usually has a spicy character.

A lot of characters of this wine depend on the ripening of the grapes. When it is not completely ripe, it is very sharply acidic which makes it quite unpleasant for making wine.

The grapes are also amazingly resistant to diseases and rot. It is one factor that qualifies it as one of the most lived grape varieties among the cultivators.

What Are the Favorable Conditions for Growing Petit Verdot

This grape variety needs apt conditions for cultivation. To ripen and bloom, they need specific conditions.

From weather to water, temperature to flowering period, each and every aspect needs to be in place to grow Petit Verdot.

If the weather is not apt during the spring season, the grapes will not ripe and will have a green color and flavor.

It generally ripens much later than other Bordeaux grapes variety. It also needs a very cool temperature as compared to its counterparts.

It needs to be harvested at the correct time. When it is added to the bled, it gives additional color, freshness and tannins to the wine.

Which Food Goes Well With Petit Verdot

With Petit Verdot, spicy food goes very well. You can also pair well with a wide array of semi soft to hard cheese.

Serve this wine with Asturian Bean Stew (fabada) and your guests will always love you for this.

Author

Michael Bredahl

Wine Writer

Michael is an online enthusiast, with a lot of knowledge about online marketing. Traveling around the world to hunt for the perfect wine. Latest on Sicily, where Etna has a huge impact on the taste, which is strong with a bitter aftertaste for the youngest wines, but older wines are fantastic. Drinking wine, and writing about them, are one the passions. Remember to drink responsibly 🙂

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