Pétrus 2023

The 2023 Pétrus was bottled last May. This has a delightful nose, not powerful, not intense, but it is beautifully defined with blackberry, raspberry, subtle floral scents of violet and iris, hints of black truffle in the background. It gains a little intensity with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. Quite deep for the vintage. You would think there was some Cabernet Franc in the blend (you have to wait for 2025 for that). Quite linear in style, beautifully defined. Silky smooth on the finish that has the symmetry of a great Pomerol and an exquisite Pétrus.

The 2023 Pétrus reveals a fresh, perfumed bouquet of raspberries, cassis, iris and violet mingled with hints of spices, followed by a full-bodied, layered and textural palate with a deep core of pure, crystalline fruit framed by exquisitely sweet structuring tannins. Concluding with an ethereal, resonant finish, it represents a singular interpretation of this estate in a more tensile, ethereal style, and it's all the more compelling for that. This year, Olivier Berrouet minimized pumping over to avoid over-extracting, thereby preserving ultra-refined tannins. The harvest, conducted between September 11 and 20, brought in the Merlot grapes at their optimal maturity. As usual, it will mature 50% in new oak.

Intense blackberry and chocolate aromas with plenty of ripe pips and spices. Medium body with fluidity and a sense of wonder to it. The quality of the tannins is so good as to be imperceptible. It has 30% more tannin than the 2022, but then it grows on the finish. pH 3.65 and 14.5% alcohol.

In bottle this remains a serious Petrus, as it was En Primeur, showing a different character from the 2022. Wonderfully slow unroll, cocoa bean, velvet tannins, iris and violets, rose bud, black cherry and damson, crayon, and a smoulder of campfire, all building one of top of the next. Showcasing the classical side of Petrus, which takes its time and then boom, it expands in the glass and the fragrance leaps out into the room. One point upscore. Yield 40hl/h. Harvest September 11 through to September 20. At the moment of release (but not production) there is a new CEO of Petrus, Julien Laracine, with winemaking director unchanged as Olivier Berrouet.

Gorgeous aromatic profile; a little herbal, inky almost, pencil led, crayon, floral notes of iris and violet, cool blue fruits, mint and fresh raspberry. Some definite stoney minerality on the nose - dark and smoky. Racy and alive, this has zing combined with a chalky graphite grip to the tannins. Fresh and clean, really well defined with tannins that give the structure but despite their presence they're so harmonious. This is just so good, really juicy, mouthwateringly so, but keeps the straight finesse all the way through. It’s soft and totally charming - not over the top at all, yet not discrete either. This has confidence and character. A balance of power and delicacy with a touch of flesh on the finish that gives an extra bounce and sense of enjoyment. A subtle and stealthy wine that sneaks up on you, leaving you wanting more by the finish. 3.65pH. An extra gram of tannins per litre of wine (4g) compared to 3g in 2022. Harvest September 11-20. A potential 100-point wine. (Drink between 2033-2055)