Columns
Petit Verdot: the littlest sister
EDMOND — This is the second of six columns in which The Cork Guy will investigate the blending of Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines sometimes referred to as Meritage. We have looked at the Malbec varietal in a previous column and now we will look at the littlest sister of the six, Petit verdot.
Petit Verdot is a variety of red grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties of Bordeaux, often too late, so it has fallen out of favor in its home region, much like Malbec has in France, as it is more susceptible to frost.
When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to bring tannin, color and flavor to the blend. In the past 20 years it has attracted attention among winemakers in the New World, where it ripens more reliably and has been made into single varietal wine. It also is useful in ‘stiffening’ the mid palate of Cabernet Sauvignon blends.
The profusion of Meritage or Bordeaux blends has aroused considerable interest in the variety in California, where there has been a proliferation of partial blends using Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Carmenere. The more consistent, warmer climate is a big help in reliably ripening the grapes, and producers are starting to experiment with single varietals. It also is planted to a lesser extent in Colorado, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
When young, its aromas have been likened to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather develop as the wine matures.
Petit Verdot probably predates Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux, but its origins are unclear. It was probably introduced by the Romans. Its characteristics suggest an origin in a much hotter climate.
Interestingly enough, it is one parent of Trousseau (aka Bastardo), best known as a blending grape in Jura and as part of the port blend in northern Portugal. The other parent of Trousseau is Duras, a grape from the upper Tarn valley near Toulouse. It’s possible that both were brought to the region by the Romans as they moved inland from the Mediterranean.
Almost all the Petit Verdot in France is planted in Bordeaux, mostly in the Medoc, where it is used in small amounts to give structure to the classic Bordeaux blend. However, the late ripening means that in some years the entire crop is lost, and it only ripens properly once every four years, so it has fallen out of favor, particularly with the trend toward earlier-maturing wine.
Château Palmer is unusual in having up to 10 percent Petit Verdot in its blend, which helps stiffen the high proportion of Merlot in their wines. One to three percent is more usual.
Petit Verdot produces full-bodied, extremely deep-colored wines with peppery, spicy flavor characteristics, high tannins and high alcohol volume. It’s also called Carmelin, Petit Verdau, and Verdot Rouge.
Next week, we’ll look at the third sister — Carmenere.
Cheers!
CONTACT the “Cork Guy” at thecorkguy@thecorkguy.com.
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