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During the 19th century, the domaine belonged to the Arnaud family. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Arnauds founded the "Societe Civile du Chateau Petrus", the shares of which Madame Loubat began to acquire in 1925. By the end of World War II, Madame Loubat was the sole proprietor of Petrus. At this time the establishment of Jean-Pierre- Moueix, a company of wine merchants from Libourne, had the monopoly for its distribution. In 1961, Petrus went to Madame Loubats nephew and niece: Madame Lacoste and Monsieur Lignac. Since then, Jean-Pierre Moueix has bought over Monsieur Lignac's shares and later also the shares of Madame Lacoste, giving the Moueix family 100% control of this jewel of Pomerol.
Under the direction of Jean-Pierre's son, Christian, and their oenologist, Jean Claude Berrouet, Petrus receives the care of a pampered child. The grapes are picked only in the afternoon, when the morning dew has evaporated, so as not to risk even the slightest dilution of quality. Merlot flourishes in this soil and for this reason, Petrus' vineyard is planted with 95% Merlot. The vines are unusually old and are only replanted after they reach 70 years of age. Replanting takes place plot by plot, instead of vine by vine, in order to guarantee that the average age of vines is maintained at a high level.
Petrus is Bordeaux's most intensely concentrated, richly flavored and unique red wine. An incredible power, depth and richness yet a remarkable balance with penetrating aromas of ripe mulberry, black currant and fruit and spicy vanilla oak, setting it apart from all Bordeaux's finest wines.
The wines of this property show a wildly lush and exotic character that simply cannot be duplicated. The wines of Pétrus do not charm you with their finesse; they excite you with their flamboyance and generosity.
The 1961 remains the quintessential vintage of Pétrus, despite the existence of other perfect or near-perfect mature vintages, such as 1921, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1959, 1962 and 1964. Wines such as the '45 or '47 may be slightly more concentrated, but the harmony and richness of the '61 is unparalleled. It is a voluptuous, hedonistic delight.
Anyone with even a passing interest in Bordeaux wines knows that 1961 is a legendary vintage. It produced many great wines thanks to near-perfect weather during the growing season and an extremely reduced crop. Red wine production in the area was about one-third of the norm at the time and about one-tenth of what it is today. Because of this and the fact that the estate's vineyard then was about two-thirds its current size, Pétrus made a small amount of wine, about 680 cases. The wine was fermented, as it is today, in small concrete, epoxy-lined vats and aged in both new and used oak barrels before bottling.
From the outset, the '61 Pétrus was one of the most sought-after, most highly acclaimed wines of the vintage; this is still true today, despite its outrageously high price. It offers gorgeous aromas and flavors of black truffles, olives, earth and chocolate wrapped up with supervelvety tannins. It is so complete a wine that you only need to take tiny sips. With each small taste, it gushes with flavor. It seems as if it will always be a marvelous wine to drink, so there's no hurry.
  
Facts & Figures
Area under vine
12.14 hectares
Production
50,000 bottles
Soil
The composition of the topsoil and the subsoil at Petrus is almost all clay (whereas in adjacent properties the soil is a mixture of gravel-sand or clay-sand).
Grape varieties
95% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
Ageing
22-28 months in 100% new French oak
Average age of the vines
42-45 years
Wines available
All wines sold by BDXV come direct from Bordeaux and have been stored at the Chateaux or in professional storage facilities since the time of bottling. BDXV’s wines have never ever been in the hands of private collectors. This gives you the customer the highest level of quality guarantee that the wines you buy have been stored in optimal conditions since the time they were bottled.
Chateau Petrus 2005, EUR POA*
Score: 96 points. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
Robert Parker: 96 points
April 2008: Inky/ruby/purple-colored with a classic, but tightly wound bouquet of vanillin, cedar, roasted herbs, mulberry jam, black cherries, licorice, and graphite, the full-bodied, powerful, tannic 2005 Petrus is a super-concentrated, backward wine meant for five decades of aging. As excruciatingly tannic as some of the northern Medocs, it requires at least 15 years of bottle age.
April 2007: The uncontested star of Pomerol, there are 2,400 cases of the 2005 Petrus, which appears to be the finest wine made at this estate since the 1998 ... and that’s saying something. It boasts an inky/blue/ruby/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of sweet mulberries, black cherries, cassis, vanillin, and spice box. While powerful and full-bodied with high tannin, it displays no aggressiveness or austerity. This massive, rich, super-intense Pomerol will be at its finest between 2018-2050+. It is another brilliant achievement for Christian and Jean-Francois Moueix.
April 2006: Proprietor Jean-Francois Moueix told me this wine reminds him of the 1947 Petrus. Production in 2005 (2,300 cases) was about half of what could be produced, and the resulting wine should last for a half century or more. A dense purple color is followed by a promising nose of sweet black and red fruits interwoven with pain grille, mineral, licorice, and mocha-like characteristics. This full-bodied, powerful, exceptionally pure, multilayered effort is a bigger, fuller Petrus than the 2003, and easily as structured as the 2000. Only time will tell whether it will turn out to be as complex and noble as the 1998.
Jancis Robinson: 18.5 points
Just mid crimson. Very embryonic wine with freshness the overriding quality on the nose. Only after that does the opulence reveal itself. Fresh, almost floral, with only medium weight and then, like Trotanoy, a great panoply of flavours on the back palate and an amazing depth of tannin. A wine with very different structure from most bordeaux 2005. Dry finish and all completely embedded at present. Certainly doesn’t taste especially high in anything other than tannin, which itself is strictly a phenomenon of the second half of the tasting experience.
Chateau Petrus 2000, EUR POA*
Score: 100 points. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050
Robert Parker: 100 points
A magical effort from Petrus, the 2000 has continued to gain weight and stature. From the bottle, it is a perfect wine, much like the 1998. The color is inky plum/purple to the rim and the nose, which starts slowly, begins to roar after several minutes, offering up scents of smoke, blackberries, cherries, licorice, and an unmistakable truffle/underbrush element. On the palate, this enormous effort is reminiscent of dry vintage port, with fabulous ripeness, a huge, unctuous texture, enormous body, and a colossal 65-second finish. I did not have the benefit of tasting it side by side with the equally perfect 1998, but it appears the 2000 is a more massive, macho/masculine wine, with more obvious tannin and structure than the seamless 1998. It is another wine to add to the legacy of the great vintages of Petrus. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.
NOTE: The passing of a legend. Jean-Pierre Moueix, 1913-2003, passed away the weekend of March 29-30. A noble and erudite man, he single-handedly established the reputation for Pomerol. Founding his negociant firm in Libourne in 1937, he developed a marketplace in Belgium and northern Europe for many of the area's greatest wines. His success led to the purchase of many of the better vineyards, most renowned of which were Trotanoy (1953), La Fleur-Petrus (1953), Magdelaine (1954), and Petrus, partially owned until its outright acquisition in 2002.
Jean-Pierre Moueix and his two sons, Christian and Jean-Francois, were the cornerstones of my early education of the wines of Pomerol. As a beneficiary of his wisdom and generosity, I shall always remember him as a visionary as well as a great man. His death symbolizes the end of an extraordinary life and era.
Chateau Petrus 1982, EUR POA*
Score: 98 points. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2025
Robert Parker: 98 points
From barrel, this remains one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted. Whether fining and filtration pulled more out of it than was intended, only the proprietor knows. However, the 1982 Petrus turned in a strong performance in Philadelphia in contrast to other tastings when it has been less than spectacular. The color reveals some amber at the edge. A sweet nose of caramel, roasted herbs, cherry jam, cedar, and smoke is followed by a thick, full-bodied, unctuously-textured, low acid Petrus that is approaching full maturity.
This was a dazzling showing for this 1982, which has performed irregularly since birth. Although abundant tannin remains, the wine is sweet, smoky, and ideal for drinking now and over the next 20-25 years. A bottle drunk in France in March, 2000, was equally sublime.
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