Petit Rouge

Petit Rouge is a red Italian wine grape variety that ampelographers believe is indigenous to the Valle d'Aosta (French: Vallée d'Aoste) region of northwest Italy.

[2] The grape is somewhat obscure and is not widely grown outside the Valle d'Aosta where it is primarily a blending variety but some varietal wines are produced.

However, despite its high altitude and mountainous location, nearly 90% of the wine in the Valle d'Aosta is red or rosé[4][5] with Petit Rouge playing a considerable role in many of the blends produced under the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) designation of the region.

This is because the variety thrives during the hot, dry mouths of the summer, allowing time to develop sufficient sugar levels and physiological ripeness.

These include:[7] Ampelographer can identify the Petit Rouge vine by the small "dusty" colored grapes that, according to wine expert Jancis Robinson, can almost look gray.

Petit Rouge in Viala & Vermorel (as Oriou Gris).
Petit Rouge grapes and a Valle d'Aosta wine produced from the variety.
Valle d'Aosta region is surrounded by mountainous terrain but can be very warm and dry during the summer months of the growing season.
The Arvier valley where Enfer d'Arvier ( Enfer is French for "Hell" and refers to the summertime heat of the valley) is produced.
A varietal Petit Rouge from Valle d'Aosta ( Cave des onze communes ).