Peterson Winery 2010 Bradford Mountain Dry Creek Valley Petite Verdot

Tasting Notes

Our inaugural Petit Verdot can’t be accused of being meek or demure. Memorably intense, from the velvety purple hue to the richly textured aromatics and flavors, this wine is a definite keeper in the Peterson lineup. Enticing aromas of dark berry and plum mingle with hints of cedar, violet and minerals. A smooth entry and spicy mouthfeel showcase the luscious, concentrated flavors. Opulent berry, currant, dark cherry and plum fuse with subtle forest floor, mineral essence, white pepper, cocoa, tobacco and violets.

The firm structure and layers of flavors make this wine an excellent cellar candidate. If you can’t wait to drink it, decant it a few hours before enjoying. Try it with lamb stew, a juicy buffalo tenderloin or slice of chocolate decadence.

Fred’s (Peterson) Vintaged View

In 1983, when we began planting the Bradford Mountain Vineyard, we sourced Merlot and Cabernet Franc budwood from Newton Vineyard in the Napa Valley. My friend John Kongsgaard was winemaker/manager of Newton Vineyards at the time. He had made available to us their heritage Cabernet Franc and Merlot selections planted by Ric Foreman, a founder and the original winemaker at Newton Vineyards. When I arrived to make the cuttings, John mentioned that we might want to make some cuttings from his Petit Verdot block. John’s take on Petit Verdot was that it was an odd variety to grow, an interesting wine to make and always a great addition to their Bordeaux blends. We cut enough budwood to graft half of an acre onto rootstocks we had planted in the spring. After planting this small block, I learned that this selection could be traced back to the Jackson Field Station in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This demonstration vineyard was planted in the 1880’s by Henry Hilgaard, the founding professor of the University of California’s Viticulture and Enology Department.

For a number of years we sold the fruit to Ridge Vineyards. They subsequently took some cuttings from our block to plant Petit Verdot in their Monte Bello Vineyard. While always an important part of some of our great Cabernet Sauvignon and Agraria blends, we never thought it would stand alone as a varietal bottling until the 2010 vintage, when Jamie put together a blend that showcases the sauvage qualities of Petit Verdot, as well as the Bradford Mountain terroir.

Technical Data

Composition

100% Bradford Mountain Vineyard

Varietal Breakdown Harvest Dates

80% Petit Verdot Oct. 8, 2010

6% Cabernet Sauvignon Oct. 4, 2010

6% Cabernet Franc Sept. 29, 2010

4% Merlot Sept. 25, 2010

4% Malbec Sept. 25, 2010

Appellation

Bradford Mountain Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Alcohol

14.6%

pH

3.8

TA

0.65 g/100ml

Barrel Aging

21 months

Cooperage: 33% new French oak barrels, 67% 2-4 year-old French oak barrels

Bottling Dat e: July 12, 2012 (unfined and unfiltered)

Production

150 cases - 750ml bottles

Release Date

November 2012