| Petit
verdot is becoming a strong contender as the alternative to shiraz in the warmer wine regions of Australia. It ripens a week or two later than Shiraz, and hence it is more likely to mature in cooler conditions.
Petit Verdot is the least known and least grown of the Bordeaux red
grape varieties. As a late maturing variety it is losing popularity
in the relatively cool Bordeaux region. In Australia it is being planted
in warmer areas where ripening is not such a problem.
The
other four permitted varieties in the Bordeaux appellation are Cabernet
sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Malbec and Merlot. This better known quartet
are now widely planted in other regions of Europe and the New World.
In fact, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have escaped from the Bordeaux
appellation to become recognised as international varieties. Petit verdot
is being less and less frequently in its native Bordeaux and has, until recently,
been largely ignored elsewhere.
So why is Petit Verdot the poor cousin?
In a way the answer lies in the vineyard, not the winery. This variety
ripens later than the others and in Bordeaux, its traditional home,
it may not ripen at all or produce such poor quality fruit as not to
be worth the effort. In good years though, late ripening is the very
attribute proves that nurturing the ugly duckling can pay off. It produces
well coloured concentrated wines with a range of flavours, with violets
being a common adjective used to describe its unique character. In Bordeaux
it is used as a minor component (usually less than about five percent)
of blends.
The potential for Petit verdot in Australia is being talked up by some
of its enthusiasts. In the absence of an appellation system it is the
grapes, not the bureaucrats who do the talking. Plantings have been
increasing rapidly in such areas as the Barossa and McLaren Vale, a well as in most wine regions of inland Australia.
As a late ripening grape it will not be successful in cooler regions,
but watch out for new wines from South Australia, the irrigated districts
and the far northern districts.
The Australian tradition producing one hundred percent varietals is putting the acid test on Petit verdot.
It is probably fair to say that the results thus far have been very
encouraging, but growers and makers are still at the pioneering stage.
The characters to look for in
these exciting new wines are its intense colours, the wonderful fragrant
nose, rich flavours and soft tannins.
It may be a long time before we really see the full potential of the
variety in Australia. In the meantime, savvy consumers can watch and
taste the already impressive progress.
Below is a list of some producers of this variety, and the regions.
- 1847 Barossa Valley
- Aldinga Bay McLaren Vale
- Alkoomi Frankland River
- Anderson Winery Rutherglen
- Angas Vineyards Langhorne Creek
- Angoves Winery Riverland
- Arimia Margaret River Margaret River
- Arrowfield Hunter Valley
- Ashton Hills Adelaide Hills
- Baarrooka Strathbogie Ranges
- Bago Vineyards Hastings River
- Ballast Stone Estate Currency Creek
- Banrock Station Riverland
- Barossa Ridge Barossa Valley
- Barton Estate Canberra
- Beechtree Wines McLaren Vale
- Beelgara Estate Riverina
- Bellarmine Wines Pemberton
- Bendigo Wine Estate Bendigo
- Blue Metal Vineyard Southern Highlands
- Boireann Granite Belt
- Bonneyview Riverland
- Bremerton Langhorne Creek
- Broomstick Estate Margaret River
- Brown Brothers King Valley
- Burnbrae Winery Mudgee
- Capercaillie Hunter Valley
- Casella Riverina
- Celestial Bay Margaret River
- Ceravolo Premium Wines Adelaide Plains
- Chateau Mildura Murray Darling
- Cosham Perth Hills
- Counterpoint Vineyard Pyrenees
- Craneford Barossa Valley
- Cullen Wines Margaret River
- D'Arenberg McLaren Vale
- De Beaurepaire Wines Mudgee
- De Bortoli Riverina
- Deakin Estate Murray Darling
- Di Fabio Estate McLaren Vale
- Disaster Bay Wines South Coast Zone
- Doctors Nose Wines New England
- DogRidge McLaren Vale
- Dowie Doole McLaren Vale
- Drakesbrook Wines Peel
- Drinkmoor Wines Rutherglen
- Duke's Vineyard Porongurup
- Eagle Vale Margaret River
- Eleven Paddocks Pyrenees
- Eumundi Winery Queensland Coastal
- Faber Vineyard Swan Valley
- Frog Rock Mudgee
- Fyffe Field North East Victoria
- Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale
- Geoff Hardy McLaren Vale
- Giant Steps Yarra Valley
- Gin Gin Wines Queensland Coastal
- Gipsie Jack Langhorne Creek
- Granite Ridge Wines Granite Belt
- Grove Estate Wines Hilltops
- Hackersley Geographe
- Hanging Rock Winery Macedon Ranges
- Harkaway Estate Murray Darling
- Haywards of Locksley Strathbogie Ranges
- Hugh Hamilton McLaren Vale
- Illalangi Wines Riverland
- Indigo Wine Company Beechworth
- Jimbour Wines Queensland Zone
- Kahlon Estate Wines Riverland
- Kalleske Wines Barossa Valley
- Keith Tulloch Wine Hunter Valley
- Kevin Sobels Wines Hunter Valley
- Kimber Wines McLaren Vale
- Kingston Estate Riverland
- Kirkham Estate Sydney Basin
- Kitty Crawford Estate New England
- Koppamura Wines Wrattonbully
- Kulkunbulla Hunter Valley
- Kurtz Family Vineyards Barossa Valley
- Lake Breeze Langhorne Creek
- Lankey Creek Wines Tumbarumba
- Lazy River Estate Western Plains
- Leconfield Coonawarra
- Liebichwein Barossa Valley
- Lilliput Wines Rutherglen
- Lillypilly Estate Riverina
- Little Wine Company Hunter Valley
- Louee Wines Mudgee
- Mason Wines Granite Belt
- McHenry Hohnen Margaret River
- Millbrook Winery Perth Hills
- Millers Dixons Creek Estate Yarra Valley
- Moama Wines Perricoota
- Mount Appallan Vineyards South Burnett
- Mount Burrumboot Estate Heathcote
- Mount Camel Ridge Estate Heathcote
- Mr Riggs Wine Company McLaren Vale
- Mudgee Growers Mudgee
- Mudgee Wines Mudgee
- Mulcra Estate Wines Murray Darling
- Nelwood Wines Riverland
- New Glory Goulburn Valley
- Noorinbee Selection Vineyards Gippsland
- Nursery Ridge Murray Darling
- Olssens of Watervale Clare Valley
- Patrice Winery North East Victoria
- Patterson Lakes Estate Port Phillip Zone
- Penmara Hunter Valley
- Pennyfield Wines Riverland
- Pertaringa McLaren Vale
- Petersons Glenesk Estate Mudgee
- Pettavel Geelong
- Phoenix Estate Clare Valley
- Piako Vineyards Murray Darling
- Pirramimma McLaren Vale
- Pyren Vineyard Pyrenees
- Ravens Croft Wines Granite Belt
- Red Mud Riverina
- Remarkable View Winery Southern Flinders Region
- Riverbank Estate Swan Valley
- Roberts Estate Murray Darling
- Robertson of Clare Clare Valley
- Romantic Vineyard Pyrenees
- Rookery Wines Kangaroo Island
- Salena Estate Riverland
- Salisbury Winery Murray Darling
- Salomon Estate Currency Creek
- Sam Miranda Wines King Valley
- Sanguine Estate Heathcote
- Seven Mile Vineyard Shoalhaven Coast
- Seven Ochres Vineyard Margaret River
- Seven Ochres Margaret River
- Sevenoaks Wines Hunter Valley
- Sigismondi Estate Wines Riverland
- Sirromet Queensland Coastal
- Smallfry Wines Barossa Valley
- Smithbrook Pemberton
- St Mary's Penola
- St Michael's Vineyard Heathcote
- Staunton Vale Vineyard Geelong
- Stevens Brook Estate Perricoota
- Summit Estate Granite Belt
- Tall Poppy Murray Darling
- Talunga Adelaide Hills
- Tamburlaine Hunter Valley
- Temple Bruer Langhorne Creek
- Tenafeate Creek Wines Adelaide Plains
- The Pawn Wine Company Langhorne Creek
- Thorn-Clarke Wines Barossa Valley
- Three Moon Creek Queensland Zone
- Tizzana Winery South Coast Zone
- Trentham Estate Murray Darling
- Tulloch Hunter Valley
- Uleybury Wines Adelaide Zone
- Victory Point Wines Margaret River
- Vintara Rutherglen
- Waratah Vineyard Queensland Zone
- Waurn Ponds Estate Geelong
- Wenzel Family Wines Langhorne Creek
- Westlake Vineyards Barossa
- Whale Coast Wines Southern Fleurieu
- Williams Springs Road Kangaroo Island
- Wills Domain Vineyard Margaret River
- Windowrie Estate Cowra
- Wirra Wirra McLaren Vale
- Wombat Lodge Margaret River
- Woodstock McLaren Vale
- Wordsworth Wines Geographe
- Yaldara Barossa Valley
- Yalumba Wine Company Barossa Valley
- Zilzie Wines Murray Darling
- Zonte's Footstep Langhorne Creek
Petit Verdot and food
These wines typically have good body and firn fruit flavours. They will go well
with BBQ food or more hearty dishes. Perhaps you could have a Petit verdot with
kangaroo fillet and red cabbage.
More Food pairing
suggestions for Petit verdot
Wine
Makers Choice is an Australian online Wine merchant who often stock
wine made from Petit Verdot. Check out their range.
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