🍇 Petit Verdot
A red wine grape from Bordeaux that adds colour and tannin.
Petit Verdot is a red wine grape from Bordeaux in south-west France. The name means little green: the berries are small and ripen very late. In cold years the grapes may not ripen, so the variety is grown in warm places and on good sites.
It adds colour, tannin and a spicy aroma to wine. That is why it is rarely made on its own. Usually it is part of a blend, a mix of grapes, in a small share. In Bordeaux it is used in Médoc wine: in Margaux, Saint-Julien, Haut-Médoc and Saint-Estèphe. Together with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc it adds vivid shades to the wine.
Petit Verdot is grown outside France too: in Spain, Australia and other warm wine countries. In Spain, for example, there is the estate Dominio de Valdepusa in Castilla-La Mancha.
Wines with a large share of Petit Verdot are dark and full-bodied, with notes of violet and spice. They need ageing to soften.
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Bordeaux
- Main grape in
- 📜 Haut-Médoc, 📜 Dominio de Valdepusa, 📜 Margaux, 📜 Saint-Estèphe, 📍 Médoc, 📜 Saint-Julien
- Wines made from it
- 🍷 Blend
Frequently asked questions
What does Petit Verdot mean?
Little green: the grape has small, late-ripening berries.
Why is Petit Verdot added to wine?
To add colour, tannin and a spicy aroma to a blend.
Where is Petit Verdot grown?
In Bordeaux in France and in warm wine countries such as Spain and Australia.
Similar
🍇 Sauvignon Gris · 🍇 Gros Verdot · 🍇 Saint-Macaire · 🍇 Carménère · 🍇 Merlot Blanc · 🍇 Couderc 161-49