El petit verdot

El Petit verdot es una variedad de uva negra usada en la producción del vino tinto, principalmente mezclado con Cabernet Sauvignon.
El hecho de que madura mucho más tarde que la mayor parte de las otras variedades de uva impide que prospere con éxito en muchas de las regiones francesas, y se encuentra solamente en la región de Burdeos. Su uso principal es aportar el aroma, el color, el ácido yel tanino (en ocasiones también usado para aumentar la gradación alcohólica) a muchos de los grandes vinos tintos franceses, mediante una adcición no superior al 10 por 100 del total. Se cultiva recientemente en Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, California, Colorado, Texas, Washington, Virginia, Australia, Venezuela, Columbia Británica y Nueva Zelanda, también para potenciar otros vinos.
En España, ysegún la Orden APA/1819/2007, por la que se actualiza el anexo V, clasificación de las variedades de vid, del Real Decreto 1472/2000, de 4 de agosto, que regula el potencial de producción vitícola, la petit verdot es variedad autorizada para las Comunidades autónomas de Andalucía, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Región de Murcia y Comunidad Valenciana.
Sus aromas se han comparado alas virutas del plátano y del lápiz. Adquiere fuertes tonos fuertes violaceos durante el proceso de maduración.

Synonyms
Bouton, Carmelin, Heran, Lambrusquet Noir, Petit Verdau, Petit Verdot Noir, Verdot and Verdot Rouge.[4]
Distribution and Wines
[edit] Argentina
There are some blocks of Petit Verdot in Argentina, although for many years it was labelled as Fer.
[edit] Australia
Verdotwas included in James Busby's collection of 1832, and it was trialled by Sir William Macarthur in the 1840s.[2] In 2000 there was 1600 hectares in Australia with Kingston Estate in South Australia having the largest planting, four times more than in France.[1] It is increasingly being used to make massive, brooding, single varietal wines that will age for several years - Pirramimma has championedthis approach.
[edit] Chile
Chile had 137 ha in 2003.[1]
[edit] France
Almost all the Petit Verdot in France is planted in Bordeaux, mostly in the Medoc where it is used in small amounts to give structure to the classic Bordeaux blend. However the late ripening means that in some years the entire crop is lost and it only properly ripens once every four years, so it has fallen out of favour,particularly with the trend towards earlier-maturing wine. Château Palmer is unusual in having up to 10% Petit Verdot in its blend, which helps stiffen the high proportion of Merlot in their wines. 1-3% is more usual.
[edit] Italy
In Italy is sometime cultivated in Maremma (Tuscany) and Lazio. Casale del Giglio Cave, near Rome, produces a wine based on 100% Petit Verdot.
[edit] USA
The profusionof Meritage Bordeaux blends has seen considerable interest in the variety in California, where there was 360 ha in 2003.[1] The more consistent, warmer climate is a big help in reliably ripening the grape, and producers are starting to experiment with single varietals. It is also planted in a small way in Colorado, Texas, Virginia, Missouri, and Washington.[1]
[edit] Venezuela
AltagraciaVineyards in Carora, Venezuela (a 1980 joint venture between Martell of France and Polar Breweries of Venezuela now solely run by Polar) produce a Bodegas Pomar Petit Verdot wine.

In addition to the countries above, Petit Verdot is used as 'seasoning' in Bordeaux-style blends in British Columbia, New Zealand, South Africa[1] and Spain.
[edit] Vine and Viticulture
The leaves have 3-5 lobes with adistinctively elongated central lobe. The small, cylindrical bunches are winged, with small black berries.[2]
The name Petit Verdot ('small green') refers to one of the main problems with the grape, that often the berries fail to develop properly without the right weather during flowering. It also refers to the late ripening which usually comes too late for the Bordeaux climate. Petit Verdot also...