Petrus

The wine

Château Pétrus is one of the most famous and sought-after wines in the world. From a small estate in Pomerol, on Bordeaux's Right Bank, it shows how majestic Merlot can be on the right soil. The 2005 is made almost entirely from Merlot, with only a touch of Cabernet Franc from the small parcel the estate still had at the time. It was crafted under winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, for the Moueix family.

In the glass

Deep and dark. The nose is layered and slowly reveals black cherry, plum and cassis, then truffle, forest floor and spice, with dark chocolate, liquorice and an iron-like minerality as it opens. The palate combines power and finesse, with dense, silky tannins and a very long finish.

At the table

A wine of this stature calls for refined, savoury dishes: roast veal, a prime cut of beef, game such as venison or pheasant, and above all black truffle. Decant it for several hours before serving. Our team can advise on serving and pairing.

Where it comes from

Pomerol is one of Bordeaux's smallest major appellations, yet one of its most prestigious. Pétrus sits on a slightly raised section of the plateau, on a rare blue clay that holds water in dry summers and pushes the vines to struggle, giving wines of remarkable concentration and silky texture.

The vintage and the winemaking

2005 is regarded as one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of the century: dry, warm and sunny from spring to harvest, with cool nights that kept the grapes fresh. Harvest is entirely by hand, followed by rigorous sorting, fermentation in concrete vats and around 18 months' ageing in French oak barrels, of which no more than about half are new.

Appellation

AOC Pomerol. Unlike the Médoc or Saint-Émilion, Pomerol has no official classification, but Pétrus is universally considered on a par with Bordeaux's First Growths.