| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
We finished the Bordeaux flight with the 2001 Petrus, which was much softer and more evolved than the 2000 Petrus. The 2001 revealed lots of caramel, coffee, black plums and black cherries in a full-bodied, opulent, surprisingly approachable style.
The 2001 Petrus has always been winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet’s favourite vintages. It has developed a truly exquisite bouquet that is both svelte and sensual without any sense of being overbearing. It is almost unaware of its beauty. It gradually opens with tinctures of dried blood merging with ebullient and disarmingly pure red fruit with brilliant delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin, quite forceful red fruit gripping the senses and then letting go, allowing a subtle savory/cooked meat note to flourish towards the finish. Maybe this bottle was a touch more foursquare than previous ones that I have encountered although that will melt away with time. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong. Drink 2018-2051.
Glowing with health. Slightly bretty on the nose. Loose and unfocused. Not too pushed and rather fun but the tannins are a little metallic underneath. Dry finish.
The 2001 Petrus (2,160 cases produced) exhibits more depth and richness than any other Pomerol I tasted. Its deep saturated ruby/plum/purple color is accompanied by a tight but promising bouquet of vanilla, cherry liqueur, melted licorice, black currants, and notions of truffles and earth. Rich, full-bodied, and surprisingly thick as well as intense, there is plenty of structure underlying the wealth of fruit and extract. Give it 3-6 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following two decades as it promises to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, not to mention one of the most concentrated.
I told Christian Moueix (although I’m not sure he agreed with me) that his best wines of 2001 reminded me of the 1971s in style, but with slightly less tannin and more fat.
There are slightly less than 2,400 cases of the 2001 Petrus. The wine reveals more acidity than is normally found in a young Petrus, however, it possesses the tell-tale power, mass, and concentrated essence produced by this vineyard. The color is a healthy dark ruby/purple. The wine is full-bodied, with cherry and mulberry fruit as well as nicely integrated toasty new oak. It is young and unevolved, but Petrus is vinified in such a traditional manner that it often does not perform well for many years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+
