Pétrus 2020

As I observed to Olivier Berrouet, it's hardly very original to find a wine critic extolling the virtues of this Pomerol reference point; and yet, whether one likes it or not, there's no denying that the 2020 Pétrus is a brilliant achievement and indeed one of the very finest vintages at this address over the last two decades. Unwinding in the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of exotic spices, violets and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with huge depth at the core, exquisitely refined tannins and a youthfully reserved, even restrained profile despite its power and size. This serious, classically proportioned Pétrus is a monument in the making. 2030 - 2070

The transparency and complexity in the nose is wonderful, with so much floral character like violets and roses with some fresh spices. Dark berries, too. Sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied but then it just opens and unfolds with incredible depth of fine tannins and great length. It goes on for minutes. It opens like butterfly wings. What a wine. Superb. Drink after 2028.

The 2020 Petrus is deep garnet-purple in color. It erupts from the glass with a fragrance bomb of fresh black raspberries, preserved plums, wild blueberries, and candied violets, plus suggestions of cinnamon toast, molten licorice, and tilled soil. The rich, dense, full-bodied palate is completely coated in decadent black fruit preserves and exotic spicy flavors, lifted by red berry accents and floral notes, and supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing long with the mineral sparks coming through. This is an epic.

The 2020 Petrus was bottled in June 2020. "I feel the wine changed a lot since primeur, and since bottling," commented winemaker Olivier Berrouet, "gaining an extra layer of complexity and more subtlety, the tannins are more polished. You still feel the tannins that have improved in barrel, but it needs aging." It has a spectacular nose that does not hold back: layers of intense black cherry, blueberry, crushed violet and incense rocketing from the glass and almost overwhelming the senses. The palate is medium-bodied yet fills the mouth, almost engulfing it with a payload of concentrated blackberry, cassis, and cracked black pepper. This is extremely harmonious on the finish. It's more peppery on the finish than I recall. Likewise, it deserves more cellaring than I previously envisaged. Fabulous.

Petrus plays at the very top of the vintage and is a serious, textured and knitted down take on its character. There are big tannins here, and you need to wait for the fleshy and creamy cassis and bilberry fruit to appear. Smoked caramel and cocoa bean add a gourmet edge, and the complexity comes through in the evolution of texture and flavours - the tannins become almost chalky after a few minutes, as the lightness and air underneath the fruit becomes clear. Exceptional, a clever wine that needs times and air and has unquestionable staying power, with a brush of bitter almond giving focus on the finish. 50% new oak, 39hl/h yield, 3.6ph. Harvest September 5 to 18.