Château Pétrus is located in Pomerol , on the right bank of Bordeaux . It has existed since 1837 but was successful from 1962, when the Moueix family bought part of the estate. The wine has become essential and fetches higher prices than some Premier Grands Crus Classés of Bordeaux. The vineyard extends over more than 11 hectares in the eastern part of the Pomerol appellation. The high clay content is particularly suited to Merlot . A unique second layer of dense blue clay forces the root systems to spread laterally; this characteristic is often credited with giving Petrus its soft but abundant tannins.
Pétrus vines are allowed to reach an unusually old age by Bordeaux standards and are only replanted after 70 years. The grapes are meticulously harvested by hand: one berry at a time in the afternoon, after the morning dew has evaporated to avoid any dilution. Fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and the vats are carefully checked before blending. The use of oak has changed over the years: in the 1980s, Pétrus was aged entirely in new oak barrels, but the amount of new oak is now closer to 50%. After 18 to 20 months in barrels, the wine is bottled without filtration.