Wine Advisor
Petrus 2012
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Description
Petrus is made almost entirely of Merlot grapes grown in Bordeaux's right bank Pomerol appellation. Although never officially classified, the chateau has long been considered on par with the First Growths from the left bank. The ownership of the estate has passed between the Arnaud family in the 19th century, to Madame Loubat at the end of WWII, and finally to Jean-Pierre Moueix in recent years. Petrus's clay soil is rich in iron and the estate's average vine age is 40 years. Chateau Petrus produces approximately 3,000 cases of wine each year.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 Petrus demonstrated a forward, fruit-driven, ripe raspberry and wild strawberry bouquet underneath which lies graphite and forest floor aromas. It seems refined, understated, nonchalant even. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly savory opening, as if there was a tiny drop of Cabernet Franc. The tannins are fine but firm, the red fruit infused with cooked meat, black pepper and sage notes, although I was anticipating a finish armed with more body. That may well develop in time, yet it remains a regal Pomerol that will probably merit a higher score with bottle age, hence the plus-sign against the score. Tasted January 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
There is a boatload of tannin in this intense purple-colored effort as well as a beautiful bouquet of mulberry jam, kirsch, licorice, truffles and toast. Seductive, full-bodied and opulent with abundant red and black fruit, it is a full-bodied, long, impressive Pomerol that should keep for 30+ years. Merlot was one of the favored varietals in 2012, and Pomerol was undeniably the top appellation. One of only a handful of candidates for “wine of the vintage,” the 2012 Petrus was fashioned from small yields due to a significant loss of the crop due to the poor flowering and resulting coulure as well as the lack of rain between mid-July and September 25. The harvest lasted for nearly two weeks (from September 24 to October 8). The natural alcohol in the 2012 ranks alongside that in the 2010 and 2009, 14.5%. The finished pH was 3.8.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Deep garnet in colour, the Petrus 2012 out of barrel has a more broody, but no less compelling bouquet compared to the 2011 last year that was more open. Here we find pure blackberry and raspberry fruit, a background of citrus fruit lending the aromatics freshness and a touch of cold stone. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp, structured, quite compact entry that bides its time in the glass. For sure this is a very tightly wound Petrus at this primordial stage, however there is good weight in the mouth and it arcs towards a saline finish that exudes breathtaking delineation and clarity. The 2012 feels like a more masculine Petrus stylistically similar to the 2008, but it will have more to offer after ten years in bottle. Tasted April 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
One of the stars of the vintage, the wine (100% Merlot) has exceptional concentration, stunning purity, an inky purple color and a broad, expansive mouthfeel. Not a bit heavy, cloying or overwrought, this is a stunning Petrus (licorice, blackcurrants and truffles dominate) that will probably hit full maturity in 8-10 years and last 25-35. Another great example of this mythical wine that few can afford, virtually no one drinks, but everyone talks about! Relatively high in alcohol at 14.5%, the crop was tiny because of the spring’s poor flowering in this sector of Pomerol.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
A dark, hulking beauty, the 2012 Pétrus is utterly beguiling. For the year, the Pétrus boasts remarkable density and pure power. Spice, leather, cedar and tobacco wrap around a core of intense, super-ripe fruit. Bad weather during flowering lowered potential yields and resulted in a firm, powerful Pétrus that is going to need time to blossom. I imagine the 2012 will still be a pretty special wine at age forty.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Bright, deep ruby. An exotic blueberry scent is complicated by sexy notes of violet, cocoa, coffee and flint. Very rich, dense, supple and sweet on the palate, with noteworthy complexity and precision to the spicy black fruit and floral flavors. Conveys a strong impression of energy on the sweet, very long finish. This wine possesses silky tannins and lovely purity of fruit, but while flattering and easier to taste today than some recent vintages of Petrus at the same stage, it doesn't have the structure of the better vintages. Still, there is no trace of the dilution or of the tough tannins that plague other big names in Pomerol in 2012. One of the five best wines of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2012 Petrus has a slightly higher-toned bouquet than its peers: scents of brambly red fruit and briary, liquorice and dried herbs. This gains complexity in the glass, and a second bottle at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year-On, given two hours to open, develops some gorgeous pure plummy fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, fleshy, ripe and harmonious with pliant tannins and a little more obvious oak towards the sensual finish, white pepper and thyme lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
About the Producer
The Patus winery has 11.5 hectares of vineyards. The top layer of the soil in the garden is pure clay, the bottom layer is terracotta, and the deeper layer is lime soil with high iron content, and has a good drainage system. The grape varieties planted are mainly Merlot, accounting for about 95%; the remaining 5% is Cabernet Franc. Because Cabernet Franc matures earlier, unless the vintage is particularly good, Patux winery is generally not used for winemaking. The planting density is 6,000 trees per hectare, and the average age of the trees is around 40 years, and some are even 80 years old. The operator adopts a more traditional method in the renewal of the vineyard, that is, through the selection, the best quality grape vine is used as the "mother plant", which is the same as the method when the Chateau Conti eradicated the old roots in 1946. The vineyard also adopts strict "fruit control". Each plant retains several bud eyes, and each bud eye leaves only one bunch of grapes. The goal is to fully ripen, but avoid over-ripening, otherwise it will affect the delicate flavor of the wine. In terms of the brewing process, Chateau Patus set the grape harvest time in the afternoon, the purpose is to let the morning sun dry the residual dew from the previous night. Each harvest employs 180 harvesters and takes about half a day to complete 2 to 3 harvests. During the brewing, Patus Winery spared no expense, replacing the wooden barrels (of different materials) every 3 months, and the aging time is about 20-22 months. Patus winery attaches great importance to quality and only selects the best grapes. In some bad years, such as 1991, it even stops production. The average annual output of Chateau Patus is no more than 30,000 bottles, which is extremely limited and expensive. Petrus, Pomerol, France is dark in color and has a delicate and rich aroma. Among the aromas of blackcurrant and mint, there are also many aromas such as blackberry, cream, chocolate, truffle, milk and oak. The taste is silky Slippery, long aftertaste.
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