Pomerol - Petrus 2011

The estate

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

Petrus's records date back to 1837, but the estate's fame is more recent, dating from when the Moueix family bought half of it in 1962. Since then, it has become a fixture in cellars and auction listings, and regularly fetches higher prices than most of Bordeaux's first growths.

Vineyards

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

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