It is one of the most famous wines in the world; the name Pétrus immediately electrifies Bordeaux lovers. However, the quantities are so small with about 30,000 bottles annually that many wine lovers have to be satisfied with the sound of the name. When it comes to pricing, the legendary château is on a par with its great counterpart in Burgundy, the Domaine de La Romanée-Conti. However, anyone expecting a magnificent château here is likely to be disappointed. One of the great legends of the international wine world is created in a small, neat manor house in typical Bordelais style; one could almost overlook it.
Pétrus is first mentioned by name in 1817, but the steep ascent did not begin until Madame Edmond Loubat entered the business and guided the fortunes of the château until 1961. It was then sold to the well-known and now famous wine merchant Jean Pierre Moueix, who finally shaped it into an absolute Bordelais celebrity.
11 hectares of vines are planted at Pétrus on that unique, ferruginous clay soil that has only a thin layer of sand and pebbles. It is this soil that gives Pétrus' wines - 95 percent Merlot - that incomparable richness and depth. The remaining 5 percent Cabernet Franc is used exclusively according to the quality of the vintage, on which the work in the vineyard and cellar also have a significant influence.
The selective harvest in the vineyard is extremely elaborate and drastically reduces yields. There is no second wine, unsuitable grapes are sold to other winemakers. The gentle fermentation is followed by barrel ageing in new oak barrels for about two years. So today, every bottle of Pétrus, if you can find one, represents one of the great myths of the wine world.
