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Encyclopedia > Petit verdot
Petit verdot
Petit verdot
Petit Verdot leaf
Species: Vitis vinifera
Also called: Verdot (more)
Origin: Flag of France SW France
Notable regions: Bordeaux, Australia, Argentina, California
Notable wines: Château Palmer, Pirramimma Petit Verdot

Petit verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally in classic Bordeaux blends.[1] It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend. It has attracted attention among winemakers in the New World, where it ripens more reliably and has been made into single varietal wine. It is also useful in 'stiffening' the mid palate of Cabernet Sauvignon blends. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 681 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (730 × 643 pixel, file size: 106 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Petit Verdot leaf from Hedges Cellars in the Red Mountain AVA. Taken on Sunday, June 10th 2007 with a Kodak z650 I, the copyright holder of... Binomial name Vitis vinifera L. For thousands of years, the fruit and plant of Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine, have been harvested for both medicinal and nutritional value; its history is intimately entwined with the history of wine. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. ... Château Palmer is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... It has been suggested that Veraison be merged into this article or section. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... New World wines are those wines produced outside the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe and North Africa. ... Varietal describes wines made from a single named grape variety. ... Old vine Cabernet Sauvignon at Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley. ...


When young its aromas have been likened to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather develop as it matures. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Species List of Viola species Violets (Viola) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Violaceae, with around 400-500 species throughout the world, mainly in the temperate Northern Hemisphere but also in Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America. ...

Contents

History

A glass of Petit Verdot
A glass of Petit Verdot

Petit Verdot probably predates Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux, but its origins are unclear. There are records of it in the eighteenth century,[2] but its characteristics suggest an origin in much hotter climes than the Gironde. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 837 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 837 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Gironde is a département in the southwest of France named after the Gironde Estuary. ...


Interestingly it is one parent of Trousseau, best known as a blending grape in the Jura and (as Bastardo) 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. A dowry (also known as trousseau) is a gift of money or valuables given by the brides family to that of the groom to permit their marriage. ... Jura wine, is wine produced in the Jura département of France. ... A glass of tawny port. ... // Duras is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is mostly grown around the Tarn River, northeast of Toulouse. ... The Tarn River (from the Latin tarnis meaning rapid or walled in) is a 375 kilometre (235 miles) long tributary river of the Garonne, and flows through the départements of Lozère (Languedoc-Roussillon région), Aveyron, and then the eponymous Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne départements, the...


Distribution and Wines

Aside from the countries below, Petit Verdot is used as 'seasoning' in Bordeaux-style blends in British Columbia, New Zealand, South Africa[1] and Spain. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km...


Argentina

There are some blocks of Petit Verdot in Argentina, although for many years it was labelled as Fer. Fer is a red wine grape that is grown primarily in southwestern France and is most notable for its role in Madiran, Gaillac, and Aveyron wines. ...


Australia

Verdot was included in James Busby's collection of 1832, and it was trialled by Sir William Macarthur in the 1840s. [2] In 2000 there was 1600 hectares in Australia, four times more than in France.[1] It is increasingly being used to make massive, brooding, single varietal wines that will age for several years - Pirramimma has championed this approach.


Chile

Chile had 137 ha in 2003.[1]


France

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 properly ripens once every four years, so it has fallen out of favour, particularly with the trend towards earlier-maturing wine. Château Palmer is unusual in having up to 10% Petit Verdot in its blend, which helps stiffen the high proportion of Merlot in their wines. 1-3% is more usual. The Médoc is one of the most famous of the French wine-growing regions, consisting of the region in the département of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. ... Château Palmer is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. ... Merlot grapes on the vine. ...


USA

The profusion of 'Meritage' Bordeaux blends has seen considerable interest in the variety in California, where there was 360 ha in 2003.[1] The more consistent, warmer climate is a big help in reliably ripening the grape, and producers are starting to experiment with single varietals. It is also planted in a small way in Colorado, Texas, Virginia and Washington.[1] Meritage is a word used to distinguish wines that are made in the style of Bordeaux but without infringing on that regions legally protected appellation. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,774 sq mi (110,785 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ...


Vine and Viticulture

The leaves have 3-5 lobes with a distinctively elongated central lobe. The small, cylindrical bunches are winged, with small black berries.[2]


The name Petit Verdot ('small green') refers to one of the main problems with the grape, that often the berries fail to develop properly without the right weather during flowering. It also refers to the late ripening which usually comes too late for the Bordeaux climate.


Synonyms

Bouton, Carmelin, Heran, Lambrusquet Noir, Petit Verdau, Petit Verdot Noir, Verdot and Verdot Rouge.[3]


See also

Bordeaux with sub-wine regions A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. ...

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e f Robinson, Jancis (2006). The Oxford Companion to Wine, third edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.. 
  2. ^ a b c Radden, Rosemary. Grapes and Wines of the World. The State Library of South Australia, GPO Box 419, Adelaide SA 5001. Retrieved on 2007-04-30.
  3. ^ Maul, E.; Eibach, R. (1999-06-00). Vitis International Variety Catalogue. Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV) of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE), Deichmanns Aue 29, 53179 Bonn, Germany. Retrieved on 2007-04-30.

Jancis Mary Robinson (born in Cumbria on April 22, 1950) is a British wine writer and journalist. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

  • Robinson, Jancis Vines, Grapes & Wines Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1857329996

External links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Petit verdot: a new role in Australian winemaking (518 words)
Petit verdot is the least known and least grown of the Bordeaux red grape varieties.
Petit verdot is less and less used in its native Bordeaux and has, until recently, been largely ignored elsewhere.
Petit verdot wines from Anderson Winery at Rutherglen and Pirramirra in Mclaren Vale were both given 94 points in the 2006 James Halliday Wine Companion.
Petit verdot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (179 words)
Petit verdot is a variety of fl grape used in the production of red wine, principally in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon.
The fact that it ripens much later than most of the other varieties of grape means that it cannot successfully be grown in many of the French regions, and is only found in any quantity in the Médoc and Margaux regions of Bordeaux.
It has good mid palate character which Cabernet sauvignon lacks, hence Petit verdot's use in many Cabernet sauvignon blends.
  More results at FactBites »

 

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