Pétrus, one of the world`s rarest and most expensive wines was virtually unheard of 30 years ago. It was only when the Moueix family bought a half share in the property in 1962 that its true potential began to be fully realised. Pétrus is now under the direction of Christian Moueix and oenologist, Jean Claude Berrouet.
The 11.4 hectare vineyard is located on a plateau on the highest part of Pomerol in the far east of the appellation. The topsoil and the subsoil at Pétrus is almost all clay (in neigbouring properties the soil is a mixture of gravel-sand or clay-sand) and Merlot flourishes in this soil. Pétrus’ vineyard is planted with 95% Merlot.
The vines are unusually old and are only replanted after they reach 70 years of age. The grapes are hand harvested only in the afternoon, when the morning dew has evaporated, so as not to risk even the slightest dilution of quality. The grapes are fermented in cement vats and the wine is aged in 100% new oak barrels for 22-28 months. It is bottled unfiltered.
Pétrus is extraordinarily rich, powerful and concentrated, often with characteristics of chocolates, truffles, Asian spices and ultra-ripe, creamy, black fruits. Petrus is usually approachable after a decade or so in bottle, but the wines from the very greatest years will continue improving for many more years.
100 Points James Suckling
The aromas to this are a reference for Pomerol with truffles, black olives, black licorice and dark fruit. Even brown sugar. Full-bodied, layered and multi-dimensional. Chocolate underlines the character above. The perfect tannin texture, length and balance make you think you’re dreaming. All about harmony and beauty. Love to taste it now but needs at least five or six years.
100 Points Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Petrus (bottled in mid-July 2017) opens in its own time to reveal crushed black cherries, warm plums, mulberries and cedar chest suggestions with touches of anise, lavender, beef drippings and wild thyme plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous, exuberant, wonderfully layered red, black and perfumed blue fruits contrasted beautifully by very ripe, very fine-grained and very firm tannins plus an ethereal line of seamless acid, finishing long and minerally. Olivier Berrouet and his team have knocked it out of the park in 2015. Look for this Pétrus to build and unfold over the next 20 years and confidently cellar this legend for 40+ years
100 Points Jane Anson
There is so much going on with Petrus in 2015 that you should just pull up a chair and relax, don’t expect to be going anywhere soon. Aromatic persistency keeps reaching in, pulling you further alongside. There is a soft quality to the tannins that allows the black fruit to be both juicy and sweet. High alcohol is balanced by freshness – a pH of 3.5 is relatively rare on these sticky clay soils – unleashing waves of flavour, including bergamot, smoky tea, black olives and rich cherry. The persistency is crazy – I had to get my notes back out two or three times to take down additional flavours because it just kept giving something more. And it makes you smile! What more do you want? Bottled in June, but will not be sent out to customers until April 2018. 50% new oak.
Drinking Window 2023 – 2040
100 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
Petrus 2015 has a deep garnet color, with a hint of purple. Upon opening (the bottle was opened in front of me) the nose explodes with an atomic mushroom cloud of molten licorice, black cherry preserves, ripe juicy black plums, and candied violets, followed by hints of Sichuan pepper, Indian spices, crushed rocks, and iron ore. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and fantastically opulent, the palate delivers super-ripe, velvety tannins and amazing tension to the multi-layered black fruits and exotic spices, finishing with incredible length. Polished, pristine, curvaceous and hedonic – out of the gate gorgeous, this baby has a good 50-60 years+ further to go.