Wine Advisor
Petrus 2016
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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
The 2016 Petrus was picked from 28 September until 11 October and matured in 55% new oak. It has 14.9% alcohol, which is the same as in 2010; however, the pH is much lower at 3.35. For the first 15-20 minutes, the wine was tight-lipped and did not want to come out and play (Olivier passed the time by showing me some interesting videos on his mobile phone). Then it unfolds to reveal very pure blackcurrant and bilberry fruit with a violet and underlying sea spray scent that becomes more and more noticeable. The definition here is very impressive. The palate is medium-bodied with quite juicy and dense tannin, a little edginess on the entry with that marine influence continuing from start to finish. This is a cerebral Petrus, not unlike the 2010 at this stage, the alcohol disguised towards the finish, but lending this volume and an uncommon flamboyance for the vintage that marks it out from nearly every other Pomerol. The key though, is that it retains that freshness and detail. Whether it will match up to the sensational 2015 Petrus, we will have to wait and see. What is for sure is that this is a deeply impressive Pomerol that might just have a few tricks up its sleeve.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Opaque purple-black colored, the 2016 Petrus slips effortlessly out of the glass with sanguine, seductive notes of kirsch, warm black plums, blueberry compote, red roses, Ceylon tea, violets, dark chocolate-covered cherries, licorice and cinnamon stick with wafts of iron ore, pencil lead, unsmoked cigars and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, profound and absolutely edifying on the palate, the densely packed, beautifully perfumed red and blue fruit layers possess a charge like defibrillators stimulating your heart to beat faster, each delivering achingly subtle floral and spice sparks, perfectly framed by very firm, very grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with incredible length and taking you to depths that extend to a provocative ferrous undercurrent. Stunning.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Pétrus is magnificent. There is a sense of total completeness in the 2016 that is hard to capture with words. A regal wine of total presence, the 2016 simply has it all. Beautifully layered in the glass, with stunning aromatics and endless, layered fruit, the 2016 is utterly captivating. Once again I am struck by the wine's purity and total class. Technical Director Olivier Berrout and his team turned out a magnificent Pétrus in 2016. Total time in barrel was 19 months, with 50% new oak.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Pétrus is a wine of extraordinary finesse. Lifted and precise on the palate, with a lovely underpinning of ripe tannin, it exudes class. The delineation and overall translucency of the 2016 are truly remarkable. Harvest started on September 28 and wrapped up on October 11, which is a long window of time for such a small property. Technical director Olivier Berrout describes 2016 as year with a very dry but not excessively hot summer and September rain that arrived at a very opportune moment. Berrouet gave the wines 15-18 days on the skins, followed by malolactic fermentation in tank. But beyond the technical details, the 2016 Pétrus is both magnificent and unforgettable. I can't wait to taste it again.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Petrus has an extrovert bouquet of peppermint- and star-anise-tinged red fruit that turns more licorice-scented with time. This is a flamboyant, almost extrovert bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a superb bead of acidity and a judicious sprinkling of white pepper toward the harmonious finish. On the palate at least, it feels more linear than its peers, but there is incontrovertible class from start to finish. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Pétrus was bottled at the end of July – a little late, according to Oliver Berrouet – although it was taken out of barrel at the end of May and finished in stainless steel tank for the final few weeks. Berrouet feels that this vintage found its place during the barrel maturation, opining that its complexity and fruité make it one of the great Pétrus. It has a drop-dead gorgeous bouquet offering pure black cherries, bilberry and violet and displaying impressive depth, but it takes 15 to 20 minutes to bloom. The palate is fresh on the entry, with filigreed tannin framing pure black fruit laced with spice and a hint of white pepper, and perhaps a little less extrovert than some recent vintages. The satiny texture is stunning: there’s not a hair out of place. Gains more depth toward the beautifully poised finish. A magnificent Pétrus that is up there with the greats. 14.5% alcohol.
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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