Petit Verdot Matures In a Far Better Way In Temecula CA Valley wineries
Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
by Dave Gregory
Temecula Wineries
Petit Verdot grown in Temecula CA Wineries offers unique characteristics for a Meritage blend.
Petit Verdot (pronounced peh-TEE vehr-DOUGH and means little green) is a red grape classically used in Bordeaux-style red grape and American Cabernets to add color, tannins, and complexity. The grape is small, thick skinned, and highly colored. Winemakers generally use this grape as chefs would use herbs. It is generally used in small portions of 5% or less in blended wine due to its tendency to be astringent and have strong vinous grassy flavors & aromas reminiscent of pencil shavings. However, when allowed to become very ripe in warm weather such as Temecula, the vinous characters are less pronounced so higher amounts can be used. Mature fruit offers the best of a Big Red wine with spice, leather, and floral notes while still maintaining appropriate acidity.
Plantings of Petit Verdot are increasing in California because the weather allows for ripening of the grapes, improving the value of the wine. The Petit Verdot varietal is also increasing in production in other warmer wine regions like Australia and South America. In Frances cooler weather, acreage with this grape is on the decline since the variety typically ripens late which can impair the value of the grape, and crops can be damaged to fall excessive rain. Temeculas warmer weather is perfect for the Petit Verdot grape and allows the grape to reach its fullest potential.
Petit Verdot is one of the recognized varietals (also including, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Carmenere) from the Bordeaux area in France . Outside of France, wineries making blends with Petit Verdot and the other typical Bordeaux grapes are forbidden to call their wines Bordeaux blended wine. In 1988, a group of American winemakers created the term Meritage (a combination of Merit and Heritage) to describe Bordeaux-style blended wine produced in America. According to the Meritage Association, Meritage was conceived to name wines that represent the highest form of the winemakers art, blending, and identify these wines from the more generic moniker red table wine. A Meritage wine must include two or more of the noble Bordeaux varietals with no single variety composed of more than 90% of the blend. Also, to insure that the term Meritage is only used for the finest blended wines, case production is restricted to 25,000 cases per harvest.
Temecula wineries are doing experiments in using higher amounts of Petit Verdot in their own Meritage wines. Wiens Family Cellars of Temecula California is a Temecula winery utilizing Temeculas superior grape growing conditions to grow Petit Verdot grapes. The winery will distribute their 2007 Temecula Valley Meritage to California wine club members on August 12, 2009. The blend includes 25% Petit Verdot so the unique characteristics are quiteevident in the wines heavenly flavors. In addition to the award winning ripening conditions in Temecula , 2007 was a dry year which increased wine intensities in the Temecula Valley. The drought added wine flavors more towards jammy with dark berry/plum flavors.
Blended wine with large percentage of Petit Verdot are best served with foods including an herbal flavor. Foods with very strong flavors like balsamic vinegar also pair nicely, as do robust strong-flavor artisan olive oils and pepper-jack cheese. This varietals level of acidity make it a perfect wine that is not easily overcome by powerful food flavors!
Wiens Family Cellars, a Temecula California winery, is committed to developing world class (big red) Temecula wines with fruit taken from the Temecula Valley. One of our most important current goals is to make a Bordeaux blend that is on par with the best of the Napa/Sonoma regions.
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