Definition: petrus

The label only mentions the name, without any engraving. This is normal, you will be told at Petrus. Because "it's not a château, it's a country house, " says Christian Moueix, its director, with all modesty. No château, then, just a wine. Drinking a glass of Petrus is truly a rare privilege. No other wine commands such respect, with demand exceeding production capacity. In fact, a change occurred in the 2000 vintage, with the wine still simply called Petrus, while the term château was added to the name of the company that produces it.

The Petrus estate takes its name from the place known as "Petrus". Its history is recent, yet this wine is already legendary. Throughout^{the 19th} century, the estate belonged to the Arnaud family. In 1925, a woman from Libourne, Mrs Loubat, bought shares in the property. Twenty years later, she became the sole owner. Unable to accept or understand why Médoc wines sold for more than Pomerols, especially hers, she did everything she could to capitalise on the promising terroir. Within a few decades, the myth was born. In 1961, Mrs. Lacoste and Mr. Lignac, Mrs. Loubat's niece and nephew, inherited the estate.

More recently, Jean-Pierre Moueix, a wine merchant and traditional partner of the Château, bought Mr Lignac's shares and now manages the estate with Mrs Lacoste.

Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix is responsible for the cultivation, vinification and ageing of Petrus wines, as well as their distribution for export.

The current manager, Jean-François Moueix, eldest son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, who heads the Duclot Group, is the manager of Petrus, for which he is the exclusive distributor in France.

Vineyard size: 11.5 hectares

Grape varieties: 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc.

Density: 5,500 vines/hectare

Average production: 2,500 cases, or 32,000 bottles

Soil and subsoil: black clay (this is the mystery of Petrus: the best subsoils in Pomerol are generally gravelly).

Fermentation period: 20 days

Ageing: 100% new barrels for 21 months

Average age of vines: 35 years

The vineyard is located on the highest hill in the appellation, at an altitude of 40 metres. The soil, composed mainly of clay, is well suited to Merlot, which accounts for 95% of the vineyard. The estate's 11.4 hectares are the subject of constant work and attention to detail.

The myth surrounding this wine is primarily due to its unique terroir – a hill at an altitude of 40 metres on the famous Pomerol plateau with deep clay soil on a bed of iron-rich silt – where Merlot grapes flourish exceptionally well, as well as to a traditional winemaking approach that respects the vagaries of nature.

Meticulous and rigorous green work throughout the year – thinning, leaf removal – ensures uniform ripening. The entire harvest is thus gathered in two afternoons. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled cement vats, and the young wine is then aged in oak barrels that are renewed each year.

PETRUS wines are generous, full-bodied and bouqueted, often distinguished by a typical truffle aroma, and can age for many years in great vintages.

Petrus is considered a more accessible wine than some of its illustrious counterparts. When tasting Petrus, one is immediately struck by its dark, almost black colour. From the very first sip, this wine has the class of the greatest wines. It is an irresistible wine that provides an unforgettable, almost eternal pleasure.

It must be allowed to age for many years in order for Petrus to express itself fully. These 11.4 hectares of land, unique in the world, have produced some legendary vintages. Among the estate's greatest successes, the 1947, 1950, 1961 and 1990 vintages are truly legendary bottles that fetch record prices at auction. The Petrus vintages of 90, 89, 88, 86, 85, 82, 79, 75, 71, 70 and 67 are also among the best. Remarkably, and something that all the great estates should take inspiration from, there is no Petrus from the 1991 vintage, as the quality of the harvest did not allow for the production of a great wine. Petrus is a highly sought-after wine and, as a result, prices are rising rapidly. In 1997, the Tajan study, a benchmark for sales of very fine wines at auction, sold a case of twelve bottles of Petrus 1982 for 100,000 FF (15,245 euros = 23,630 CHF!).Today (01-2005), a case of the same 1982 vintage is selling for over 140,000 FF (€21,343 = £23,082). Fortunately, not all vintages are priced at this level.

The rare visitors who manage to find the estate are often disappointed to find only a small country house when they were hoping to see a palace dedicated to what has become the king of Merlot wines. Unlike Haut-Brion or Lafite, Petrus is not a historic Bordeaux wine, but it is undoubtedly the greatest oenological success of^{the 20th century}. Revealed to the English during the wedding of Elizabeth of England by Madame Loubat, this small 12-hectare estate took another step towards international glory under the impetus of Jean-Pierre Moueix, who acquired shares in 1964, and the magician oenologist Jean-Claude Berrouet.

The latter enhanced the originality of the terroir of the famous "boutonnière", a plot of deep clay that is anything but ordinary, releasing just the right amount of water needed by the vines, drop by drop. Composed of 95% Merlot, Petrus is the archetype of Pomerol: rich, sensual and powerful. Its truffle aroma and smooth texture are unique. Petrus is also proof that Merlot wines can age admirably. Bottles from 1893, 1921 and 1959 still thrill the palate.

To date, SC Château Petrus does not have a website.