Variety Show: Petit Verdot

It might be a bit-part player, but this Bordeaux variety is well up to the role of dashing cameo. Thick-skinned, spicy, tannic and with strong acid spine, a small Petit Verdot injection goes a long way.
It generally ripens later than Cabernet Sauvignon. In the compressed Yarra Valley harvest of 2024, however, Yeringberg viticulturist David de Pury and winemaker sister Sandra de Pury decided to pick it a fraction before the lead in their famous red blend; this year it co-fermented with Cabernet Franc instead.
It seemed like a good opportunity to shine a light on these individual components and what they bring to the ensemble. So, what’s Petit Verdot all about?