Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
Olivier Berrouet has been in charge here since January 2008 after 4 years at Cheval Blanc. His father (who was winemaker at Petrus for 4 decades) remains a consultant. 100% Merlot on clay soil at the heart of the plateau of Pomerol.
Opaque purple-black colored, the 2016 Petrus slips effortlessly out of the glass with sanguine, seductive notes of kirsch, warm black plums, blueberry compote, red roses, Ceylon tea, violets, dark chocolate-covered cherries, licorice and cinnamon stick with wafts of iron ore, pencil lead, unsmoked cigars and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, profound and absolutely edifying on the palate, the densely packed, beautifully perfumed red and blue fruit layers possess a charge like defibrillators stimulating your heart to be faster, each delivering achingly subtle floral and spice sparks, perfectly framed by very firm, very grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with incredible length and taking you to depths that extend to a provocative ferrous undercurrent. Stunning. Drink 2024-2074.
This is very fleshy and deep with so much texture and richness. It’s full-bodied yet fresh. The tobacco, white truffle, licorice and dark fruit are so impressive. It’s so exuberant and wild. It just goes on for ever. Spellbinding. Very muscular and powerful. Agile and energetic. Please give this time. Needs eight to ten years. Try from 2029.
One of the top wines in the vintage is unquestionably the 2016 Petrus, which is, as always, all Merlot aged in just over half new French oak. It's more reserved and subtle compared to the 2015, yet it’s unquestionably in the same ballpark, offering a deep ruby/purple color as well as a classy bouquet of crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, smoke tobacco, spring flowers, and subtle spicy oak. This is a wine that builds with time in the glass and delivers a full-bodied, multi-dimensional texture, present, ripe tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won't quit. It’s haute couture at its finest, and as I wrote multiple times in my notes, simply pure class. Hide bottles for at least 7-8 years (10-15 would be even better) and it will keep for half a century. Drink 2026-2076.
The 2016 Petrus was picked from 28 September until 11 October and matured in 55% new oak. It has 14.9% alcohol, which is the same as in 2010; however, the pH is much lower at 3.35. For the first 15-20 minutes, the wine was tight-lipped and did not want to come out and play (Olivier passed the time by showing me some interesting videos on his mobile phone). Then it unfolds to reveal very pure blackcurrant and bilberry fruit with a violet and underlying sea spray scent that becomes more and more noticeable. The definition here is very impressive. The palate is medium-bodied with quite juicy and dense tannin, a little edginess on the entry with that marine influence continuing from start to finish. This is a cerebral Petrus, not unlike the 2010 at this stage, the alcohol disguised towards the finish, but lending this volume and an uncommon flamboyance for the vintage that marks it out from nearly every other Pomerol. The key though, is that it retains that freshness and detail. Whether it will match up to the sensational 2015 Petrus, we will have to wait and see. What is for sure is that this is a deeply impressive Pomerol that might just have a few tricks up its sleeve. Drink 2023-2060.