The Petit Verdot Conundrum

From our first vintage in 1987, Linden’s approach to winemaking began with an emulation of the classics. We would discover and taste mentor wines that inspired us and then proceed to study and even visit producers when possible. This was especially true with Chardonnay and our Bordeaux blends. Over time our winemaking evolved into something more appropriate for our terroir and our stylistic preferences.

However Petit Verdot was an enigma because no mentor wine existed. The grape originated in Bordeaux where it is used in single digit percentages to blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. No winery would even entertain the idea of bottling the grape on its own. The climate in Bordeaux was too cool for Petit Verdot to fully ripen in most years. The wine would be green, tart, and astringent, although this could well change in the future with a changing climate.

Virginia is warmer than Bordeaux, and Petit Verdot seems to have found its “Goldilocks” region (California may be a bit too hot). It is arguably the easiest variety that we grow. Our first plantings of Petit Verdot in the 1990s were quite small. The one or two barrels produced were blended. But by the early 2000s we had a substantial acreage to work with and had more Petit Verdot in the cellar than needed for blending purposes. Our first varietal (the name of the wine being the name of the grape) was from the 2002 vintage.

The first vintages were rather rustic and awkward because we were simply copying Bordeaux winemaking techniques. They were using the Petit Verdot as a seasoning component but our intention was to bottle it on its own. These two goals require different approaches. Our winemaking needed to evolve, but how remained a question.

Little Green One

There were clues in the name. "Petit" refers to the small berries. The smaller the berry, the more the impact of the skins on the wine. In the trade, this is referred to as skin to juice ratio. During fermentation Petit Verdot supplies a more than ample amount of skins. The skins contain the color, tannins, and flavors that define a red wine. Because of this, Petit Verdot wines are not so petit. They trend towards dark, tannic, and high alcohol. "Verdot" refers to green. During ripening Petit Verdot is always the last grape to turn from green to black. The wines can also have a bit of an herbaceous, “green” profile. In the cellar both the Petit and the Verdot need to be addressed if one is to make a varietal wine.

We now ferment cooler and shorter so as not to draw out too much impact from the skins. We don’t use as many barrels as we used to. The 2023 vintage is in a concrete egg and stainless-steel tanks. We bottle earlier so as to retain freshness and fruit. This is not traditional Bordeaux winemaking.

We’ve chosen four vintages that demonstrate our evolution in Petit Verdot winemaking. Tasting and technical notes will be included so you can follow along on our journey.

Final 4-Pack Offer for 2023

Linden Petit Verdot 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020
Total = $174
Free shipping
Order deadline: 12/17/23

December Barrel Tasting and Vintage 2020 Release

Taste the difference this December. We’ll be tasting the classic 2020 single vineyard wines from the bottle and the hedonistic 2023 vintage from the barrel.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: December 7, 2023