Petrus 2008

The wine in this vintage

Cool and late, the 2008 vintage in Bordeaux was rescued by an exceptional Indian summer that allowed ripening to finish in late September and October. Yields were low, and the fresh, structured wines were long underrated. Petrus 2008 shows a more classic and measured profile than the sunnier vintages: black cherry, blackberry, violet, graphite and spice, with a dense, taut palate whose tannins are still firmly present. Robert Parker rated it 97 points. It has not yet reached its peak, and time will reveal its depth and finesse, rewarding those who give it the long cellaring it deserves.

The producer · Petrus

Petrus is the ultimate symbol of Pomerol and one of the most sought-after wines in the world, even though it has never been classified, since this Right Bank appellation has no official classification. Its rise is owed to Madame Edmond Loubat, who owned it in the first half of the twentieth century and turned it into a legend, and to the Moueix family, involved from 1945 first as distributors and later as owners; today the estate is headed by Jean-François Moueix, with winemaker Olivier Berrouet. The secret of Petrus lies in its soil: a seam of very dense blue clay, millions of years old, that surfaces on the top of the Pomerol plateau and regulates the vines’ water supply in a unique way. On around eleven hectares, almost exclusively Merlot is grown, hand-picked with extreme care, sometimes over just a few afternoons, so that each parcel is harvested at the perfect moment. The result is a wine of extraordinary density, opulence and tannic finesse, able to age for decades and made in very limited quantities.

Critics' scores

• 97 Robert Parker
• 96 Wine Enthusiast
• 93 Wine Spectator
• 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Petrus

Region

Bordeaux

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2008

When to drink

Not yet at its peak

Critics' average

95.3/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0710108