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Friday, January 26, 2018

Pearmund Cellars Petit Verdot (2014)

If wine could be likened to a movie (by someone who not involved in making movies or wines), Petit Verdot would be a supporting actor or actress.  The grape definitely contributes to the final product, offering its boldness to bring flavor and tannins to the aroma and taste of the wine.  However, its contribution is not as great as the leading grapes.  Petit Verdot never gets top billing, which usually goes to grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

There may be many reasons why. Unlike other grapes, Petit Verdot takes longer to ripen, which means that it is harvested after other grapes.  The lateness in the harvest sometimes means that the Petit Verdot grapes are usually added during the blending process, when vintners use the bold flavors and the tannins to add character to a wine.

Nevertheless, there are wines where a grape like Petit Verdot gets top billing, just as there are opportunities for a supporting actor or actress to take center stage.  When given the chance, a Petit Verdot wine provides a bold performance, with aromatic and taste elements that feature dark berries, leather, chocolate and even smoke.

One example of a bold Petit Verdot wine comes from Pearmund Cellars in Virginia.  The wine pours with garnet tones, which, depending upon the lighting, also give rise to plum or raisin colors.  The aromas that greet the nose are full of those black fruits, such as blackberries, black cherries and even blueberries.  There is some earthiness to the aroma as well, along the lines of slate or graphite.  

Much of the dark berries carries through to the taste of the wine. The wine features blueberries up front, with plumb and blackberry notes on the back end.  The tannins enclose the flavors of the wine and fill in the finish.

The Pearmund Cellar's Petit Verdot shows how a supporting grape and truly shine.  A bottle can be purchased from the vineyard for about $32.00.  

ENJOY!

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