Petit Verdot is not a grape name frequently seen on a front label like on this bottle of Pirramimma from McClaren Vale in Australia. Most often winemakers use it in small quantities blended with other more famous grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, especially in its home turf of Bordeaux. But, as the climate warms, we may start to see more winemakers choosing this little grape to play a starring role in their wine.

Petit Verdot is a grape that ripens late. To achieve its full flavour potential, it is best cultivated in sunny, warm climates with long growing seasons. Under these conditions, it can produce a deeply coloured, bold, floral scented, and fruity wine.

In 1983, after a trip to Bordeaux, Geoff Johnston of Pirramimma predicted that Petit Verdot would flourish in the warm Australian climate. He was the first grower to plant the vines in the McLaren Vale region, made famous for its Shiraz. His single varietal wines are now amongst the best Petit Verdot in the world.

In the wine world, we see the popularity of various wines change with the times. Today Cabernet Sauvignon is having a moment, but it wasn’t long ago, before a certain Hollywood movie, that Merlot was the grape of choice. As cooler wine regions become warm enough to grow late ripening varietals, the name 'Petit Verdot' front and centre on a bottle might become commonplace.