PÉTRUS 2014
Known as one of the most expensive and renowned wines on the planet, Pétrus is one of the few Bordeaux residents not to use the “château” appellation. While the wines are not classified in Pomerol, amateurs and professionals would easily give Pétrus the mention of “Super premier cru”, if it existed. Pétrus is not a castle, it is a land of legend, the inaccessible cru that only a select few have the chance to bring to their lips.
The first known owners of Pétrus were the Arnaud family who owned the estate from the 1830s until the end of the First World War. It was towards the end of this period that Pomerol wines gained in reputation.
Pétrus is already recognized as the best of the Pomerols and its prices are close to those of the Grands Crus Médoc. The Arnauds created the civil society of Pétrus and between 1925 and 1945 the shares were gradually acquired by Mrs. Edmonde Loubat who became the sole owner at the end of the war. In 1947, it gave exclusive marketing rights to the young Bordeaux merchant Jean-Pierre Moueix. Their cooperation is very effective and Pétrus's reputation crosses borders.
In 1961, Mrs. Loubat died and her nephews shared the property.
In 1964, Jean-Pierre Moueix bought the shares of the Loubat Family and therefore became the sole owner of Pétrus. One of its first actions is to enrich the vineyard with 5 hectares of vines bought from Château Gazin.
In 2003, Jean-Pierre Moueix's son, Jean-François, succeeded him at the head of the property. If the Moueix have owned the estate for half a century, it is the talented Jean-Claude Berrouet who was technical director for more than 40 years. His son, Olivier, has been his worthy successor since 2008.
Pétrus is now one of the most sought-after wines on the planet. Its very particular terroir and the men who have sublimated it make Pétrus a unique, exceptional vintage, a legend ...
This domain enjoys an absolutely unique terroir in Bordeaux: a soil composed almost exclusively of swelling black clay on a hill that rises to 40 meters in height. Here, Merlot finds its favorite soil. It constitutes nearly 96% of the grape varieties in the vineyard. The remaining 4% is planted with Cabernet Franc, most of which does not fit into the final blend. Petrus only produces great wine (the rest of the production being downgraded), and obviously no white. The harvest is manual and the aging lasts an average of 20 months (100% new barrels).
The aromas take time to develop to go towards blackberry, spices and violet. Thanks to the cold clays, the Merlot has had time to recover, the harvest took place between September 23 and October 4, and the wine has a good density without the flesh of great vintages, but with the same alcohol. than 2009 and 2010, 14.5 °, and a nice freshness. 50% new cask.
