2009 Petit Verdot Cellar Collection

JUST RELEASED

February 16, 2012

Petit Verdot anecdotally has been regarded as a variety without a home, a grape that never truly found the perfect climate and soil to marry with.  While identified as one of the five noble Bordeaux Varietals, it has somehow slipped into obsecurity, typically grown in small quantities regardless of geography, and often slandered with the mention - it is a blending grape.  However, Chateau OBrien is proud to be a leader in producing the highest quality of wines with Petit Verdot as a single varietal And Virginia may come to recognize the potential of this grape as one of the premier varietals for the mid-atlantic region.

At Chateau OBrien the Petit Verdot vines meet with the same vigilant viticulture practices applied to all our vineyards, yet Petit Verdot likes to keep you on your toes.  One season it may be one of the first varieties fully ripened and harvested; while other seasons it may hang until near the final picking.  The ability to properly ripen this vines fruit regardlessof a given seasons weather pattern is made possible only by the highest standards of viticulture management.  And, with a well timed harvest, and optimal winery practices, the resulting wine will explode with body and flavor.

Our 2009 Petit Verdot was destemmed and crushed, and the allowed to undergo a spontaneous un-inoculated indigenous yeast fermentation - no yeast was added - the fermentation was a result of yeasts symbiotically existing on the skin of the grape at the time of harvest in the vineyard.  Sound fermentation, extended maceration, and extended lees aging, result in an excitingly full bodied wine, with a huge front pallot that hits the mouth with volume reminiscent of an oncoming train.  Yet somehow the wine maintains elegance and grace, broad and round mouthfeel from the indigenous yeast, and beautifully clean silky finish.  As always - this Petit Verdot shows the opulent dark rich flavors that are the signature of Chateau OBrien reds, yet pronounces a distinct intensity of ripe tannin

Simply put - this wine is fabulous!!!!

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