Of all the immensely popular Bordeaux varieties, Petit Verdot has the least amount of total acreage devoted to it but has probably gained some ground in proportion to the others recently around the globe. Early budding but one of the latest-ripening of all black grapes, Petit Verdot produces wines that are deeply coloured, rich, tannic and ageworthy with excellent acidity. A part of the classic Bordeaux five grape blend, Petit Verdot adds spice, colour and structure to the assemblage but ironically, because it ripens so late, it is at its best in years with long warm harvests where the other grapes in the mix least need its help. Growing in popularity as a monovarietal in warm, dry regions like Spain, California, Australia and southern France where it has no problem ripening.