Petit Verdot on the vine
Continuing our tasting of Paso Robles Bordeaux-style wines by variety, we move on to Petit Verdot, historically a behind-the-scenes grape, but increasingly finding its home as a varietal wine in the New World. (For a fun personification of Bordeaux varieties, see this video, which characterizes Petit Verdot as “The Builder.”)
“Petit Verdot is one of Bordeaux’s classic black grape varieties, no longer planted in any great quantity but enjoying a small revival in some quality-conscious vineyards,” said Jancis Robinson in her second edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine, written 15 years ago.
“The vine ripens even later than Cabernet Sauvignon and is equally resistant to rot. It shares Cabernet Sauvignon’s thick skins and is also capable of yielding concentrated tannic wines rich in colour. When it ripens fully, which in most Bordeaux properties happens only in riper vintages, its rich, age-worthy, sometimes rather spicy wines can make a valuable contribution to some of the best wines of the Medoc.”
In his piece, “Is Petit Verdot the next Malbec?” in Wine Enthusiast Magazine from two years ago, Jim Clarke said, “Lesser-known Bordeaux-born varieties often go abroad to make their name—Malbec in Argentina is a prime example,” and then posed the question, “Has the time come for Petit Verdot?”
PRCC Petit Verdot Tasting
Named for its sluggish ripening, this “little green” grape is quickly gaining a reputation in the Paso Robles AVA for textural, complex, and deeply-hued wines that exhibit more secondary notes than fruit. Several PRCC members are making varietal Petit Verdot, through which we recently tasted, and which show just as many intriguing contrasts as similarities.
Ancient Peaks 2010 Petit Verdot
Dark red – almost purple – in color, the 2010 Ancient Peaks Petit Verdot shows gentle heat with aromas of cola, barnyard and violets, as well as flavors of vanilla, juicy blackberries, and leather. Fine acids and gentle tannins extend into the lasting finish.
Villa San-Juliette 2011 Petit Verdot
Also dark in color, the VSJ Petit Verdot offers dark cherry and blueberry aromas, as well as caramel, broth, anise, spices and a wisp of toasty oak. On the palate, firm structure and acids mingle with flavors of cola, spices and blackberries, finishing with impeccable balance and slight astringency.
Bon Niche 2010 Petit Verdot, “Fenêtres”
A wild card to say the least, the Bon Niche 2010 Petit Verdot is a beautiful example of the many directions this variety can travel. Notes of toasted nuts, anise, vanilla, caramel, raisins and tobacco join for an effect not unlike that of Amarone. On the palate, notes of moss, chocolate and caramel balance with supple tannins and decent structure into a lengthy finish.
