Petit Verdot
Bordeaux, in small amounts
Violet, blackberry and huge colour, with tannin to match. Traditionally a few per cent of a blend rather than a wine.
At harvest
Each bar drawn against the full range of all 54 varieties
Sugar
23-26 Brix
23 - 26
Titratable acidity
6-7.5 g/L
6 - 7.5
pH
3.4-3.7
3.4 - 3.7
Juice yield
0.62 L/kg
free run plus a gentle press
Sugar per kilogram
168 g
at 24.5 Brix, the midpoint
Fruit for 23 litres
37 kg
before racking losses
Potential alcohol
13.5-14.7%
from 1.103 fermented dry. A range, because conversion varies by strain
What it punishes
Ripening at all. In its native Bordeaux it often does not, which is why it was a minor blending grape until warmer regions adopted it.
Made into
- Bordeaux blend
- Dry red
Sulphite at this pH
At pH 3.55, protecting a red wine to 0.5 mg/L molecular SO2 takes 28 mg/L of free SO2. Work it out for your own reading.
More vinifera red
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux, and now everywhere warm enough
23-25 BrixMerlot
Right Bank Bordeaux
22-25 BrixCabernet Franc
Loire and Bordeaux
22-25 BrixPinot Noir
Burgundy
23-26 BrixSyrah
Northern Rhone
24-27 BrixGrenache
Southern Rhone and Spain
24-26 BrixMourvedre
Bandol and Spain
24-28 BrixZinfandel
California, and Croatia before that