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What is the use of Petit Verdot grapes in red wine?
Petit Verdot means “little green” in French, referring to the fact that the grapes are often not ripe enough to appear green due to the late ripening period. Petit Verdot is mainly distributed in the Medoc region of France, and its origin is unclear. In the Bordeaux region, Petit Verdot predates Cabernet Sauvignon.
Petit Verdot itself has a very deep purplish red color and strong tannins that can be used to add color and structure to blended wines. In addition, wines take longer to soften their rich tannins after blending Petit Verdot, making them suitable for many years of ageing. Generally speaking, the proportion of Petit Verdot in the mixed wine is generally less than 5%, but under the techniques of first-class winemakers, 1%-2% Petit Verdot can often play the finishing touch.
Like most varieties, Petit Verdot needs hot days and cool nights to create a large diurnal temperature difference to accumulate sugar. Well-drained soil with some fertility helps it grow and develop its unique flavor.
Petit Verdot is one of the six legal red wine grape varieties in Bordeaux, but it has always played a supporting role in red wine. This is mainly due to its late ripening, a characteristic that prevents it from ripening in some years. In vineyards, Petit Verdot has difficulty reaching full maturity because it matures later than other varieties, making it vulnerable to early autumn frosts.
Planting area
The ripening process of Petit Verdot grapes is slow, so it needs to be grown in places with long summers. So in France it is grown in the southern regions: Bordeaux and Languedoc-Roussillon (Rondoc-Roussillon).
In Bordeaux, although it occupies only 5% of the vineyard area, it is widely distributed: Graves, Graves de Vayres, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Médoc, Moulis, Pauillac, Pessac-Léognan, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Saint Estèphe and Saint Julien. In addition to these places, the soil of the city of Margaux is also very suitable for the cultivation of Petit Verdot.
In addition to Bordeaux in France, the more famous Petit Verdot producing areas include Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and so on.
In Australia, Little Widow has a long history. As early as 1832, there were records of Petit Verdot. Petit Verdot does not have the problem of late and difficult ripening in Bordeaux in the warm Australian producing areas, but shows new vitality.
In Australia, monovarietal Petit Verdot has the following pleasing characteristics: intense violet red; banana flavours when young, rich earthy, leather, tobacco and humidor flavours at maturity, with a soft and rich flavour Tannins.
In the equally warm California grape-growing regions, favorable climatic conditions contribute to the consistent ripening of the grapes. Petit Verdot is on the rise here, and several California wineries have begun making Petit Verdot monovarietals.
Argentine Petit Verdot is rich in violet colour, full-bodied, with fruity aromas of plums and cherries mixed with chocolate and spice flavours, entering the mouth with red fruit flavours of plums and cherries, with a beautiful structure and aftertaste long.
Type of aroma
Licorice, Spices, Coriander and Raspberry
