Pomerol - Pétrus 1996

The Estate

Pétrus is undoubtedly the most important wine from Pomerol and one of the most remarkable estates in Bordeaux. This merlot-based wine comes from an 11.4-hectare vineyard located in the eastern part of the Pomerol appellation. It is renowned for being rich and powerful, with notes of chocolate, spices, and dark fruits. Petrus is one of the most collected and expensive wines in the world.

The archives of Petrus date back to 1837, but the estate's fame is more recent, since the Moueix family purchased half of it in 1962. Since then, it has become a staple in cellars and auction lists, regularly fetching higher prices than most first growths of Bordeaux.

Vineyards

The original vineyard, covering 7 hectares (17 acres), is situated on a hill where the soil is almost entirely clay, unlike neighboring properties where the soil contains more gravel or sand. The high clay content is particularly well-suited for merlot: a unique second layer of dense blue clay forces the roots to grow laterally. This characteristic is often considered responsible for the soft yet abundant tannins of Petrus. The rest of the vineyard was acquired in 1969 from the neighboring Château Gazin.

The vines of Petrus can reach an unusually advanced age by Bordeaux standards. They are only replanted after 70 years.