The origins of the variety Petit Verdot are not completely clear, although it is generally agreed that the Romans introduced this grapevine in the Gallia Narbonensis, carrying it to the valley of the Tarn from more Mediterranean settlements.

The oldest records of this grapevine date back to 18th century Bordeaux in the area of Bordeaux. However, this variety is believed to have preceded Cabernet Sauvignon. Traditionally, Petit Verdot has been considered the most exotic of the grapes in Bordeaux, where it needs a very hot vintage year in order to achieve a successful ripening. Due to this particular reason, this variety was gradually abandoned and replaced by others which were more adapted to France cold climate, even that of Bordaux. Nevertheless, Petit Verdot just needed one thing to prove its worth: a bit of heat.

It was first introduced in Spain in the early 1990s. The oenologist Juan Manuel Vetas was the first one to do it in Ronda in 1991; almost one decade later, in 2000, scarcely 25 hectares of this variety were cultivated in Spain.

Nonetheless, the climate and soil in certain regions of the country were particularly appropriate for Petit Verdot and little by little this variety started to enter several estates throughout the Spanish countryside.

One of those estates was Dehesa del Carrizal. In 2006 the first vines were planted and the first harvest took place in 2008. At first, this variety was meant to be used for the blending of Colección Privada. Then, although the objective was not producing a varietal Petit Verdot, the huge potential of this grape in our estate was soon discovered. 

Being a variety with a long vegetative growth cycle, it adapted perfectly to the climate in the area of Dehesa del Carrizal, as it offered the appropriate temperatures for a lengthy process of ripening. This way, we obtained fruit in its perfect stage of ripening. In the third vintage, in 2010, we discovered a high quality wine and we opted for separately aging a small amount, unmixed with any other variety, in order to see its evolution. It turned out to be the wisest decision. The wine had taken on complexity and finesse… and in 2014 it won the Grand Gold Bacchus award, a pleasant surprise, even more so considering it is such a young vineyard.

At present, Dehesa del Carrizal cultivates 2.1 hectares of Petit Verdot, a variety which has adapted perfectly to our terroir and offers a promising future.