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Petit Verdot Comes of Age In a Far Better Way In Temecula California Valley Wineries

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Petit Verdot grown in Temecula California Wineries offers improved characteristics for a Meritage blend.

Petit Verdot (pronounced peh-TEE vehr-DOUGH and means little green) is a red wine grape classically used in Bordeaux-style red wine grape and American Cabernets to add color, tannins, and complexity. The grape is quite small, thick skinned, and highly colored. Winemakers typically use this temecula grape as chefs would use herbs. It is generally used in small portions of 5% or less in wine due to its tendency to be astringent and have strong vinous grassy flavors & aromas reminiscent of pencil shavings. However, when allowed to ripen in warm climates such as Temecula, the vinous tastes are less pronounced so higher amounts can be used. Propertly matured 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 complete ripening of the grapes, improving flavors. The Petit Verdot varietal is also increasing in production in other warmer wine areas like Australia and South America. In Frances cooler weather, acreage with this grape is on the decline since the variety generally ripens late which can damage the quality, and crops can be damaged to fall frost. Temeculas warmer weather is perfect for the Petit Verdot grape and gives the grape time to reach its optimal maturity.

Petit Verdot is one of the approved 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 not allowed to call their wines Bordeaux blends. In 1988, an association of American winemakers created the term Meritage (a combination of the words Merit and Heritage) to describe Bordeaux-style wine produced in America. According to the Meritage Group, Meritage was coined to name wines that represent the highest form of the winemakers art, blending, and identify these wines from the common moniker red table wine. A Meritage wine must contain two or more of the noble Bordeaux varietals with no single variety making up more than 90% of the blend. Also, to guarantee that the word Meritage is only used for hand crafted wines, case production is limited to 25,000 cases per vintage.

Temecula wineries are testing in using larger quantities of Petit Verdot in their Meritage wines. Wiens Family Cellars of Temecula California is a Temecula winery using 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 among the wines heavenly flavors. In addition to the award winning ripening climate in Temecula California, 2007 was a dry year which increased wine intensities in the Temecula Valley. The drought increased wine flavors more towards jammy with dark berry/plum flavors.

Blended wine with significant percentage of Petit Verdot are best served with foods cooked with an herbal character. Foods with very strong flavors like balsamic vinegar also pair nicely, as do robust high-flavor artisan olive oils and pepper-jack cheese. This varietals level of tannin and acidity make it a great wine that is not easily overcome by powerful food flavors!

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About The Author: Wiens Family Cellars, a Temecula winery, is committed to developing world class (big red) Temecula wines with fruit produced from the Temecula Valley. One of our most important current goals is to produce a Bordeaux blend that is on par with the best of the Napa/Sonoma regions.