# Petit Verdot Reserve (2020)

- **Producer:** Hilmy Cellars
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Petit Verdot
- **Region:** Texas, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €65
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** violet, cherry, plum, chocolate, coffee, leather

## About this wine

Hilmy Cellars is located along the Highway 290 Wine Road in Fredericksburg, Texas, focusing on small-lot artisan winemaking. Bottled as a single-varietal wine from Oswald Vineyards in the Texas High Plains AVA, this cuvée showcases the potential of Petit Verdot in the region's high-altitude, semi-arid climate. Traditionally utilized as a minor blending grape in Bordeaux to add color and structure, here it takes center stage as a complex, age-worthy red wine.

## Interesting facts

- Only 115 cases of this reserve Petit Verdot were produced for the 2020 vintage.
- Petit Verdot is traditionally used in tiny percentages in Bordeaux blends, but shines as a single varietal in Texas.
- Won a Gold Medal at the prestigious 2022 TEXSOM International Wine Competition.

## Food pairing

The bold tannic structure, high intensity, and rich dark fruit profile require dishes high in protein and fat to soften the wine's grip. Rich meats, umami-laden mushrooms, and firm aged cheeses stand up to the robust texture, while savory herbs like rosemary highlight the wine's underlying spice notes.

## Wine making process

Handcrafted by winemaker Michael Barton, this reserve wine was produced in a limited run of just 115 cases. Harvested from Oswald Vineyard in Terry County, Texas, the grapes underwent minimal-intervention vinification with specialized Bordeaux yeast strains and extended skin contact. The wine was aged in French oak barriques to seamlessly integrate its bold tannins while emphasizing authentic varietal character.