CHÂTEAU PÉTRUS 1994

1994 Pétrus

GRAPES: Merlot, average 40-year-old vines, 100% destemmed, hand sortings
AGEING PERIOD: Blended and placed in an average of 50% new, French oak barrels for 18-20 months
PRODUCTION: Average 2,500 cases per year
CELLARING POTENTIAL: 30 – 50 years +

Petrus is one of the most celebrated wines of Bordeaux and without contest the most famous wine of Pomerol of which it is the supreme archetype. Petrus is not actually a ‘chateau’ per se, although it is often referred to as such. Petrus produces only grand vin (the remainder of the production being declassified), and obviously no white.

Although the wines of Pomerol have never been classified, Petrus is widely regarded as the outstanding wine of the appellation by consensus, and leads a duo of Pomerol estates of extreme prices, along with Le Pin, that in the modern era are consistently among the world’s most expensive wines. Mouiex inclined to state that when the Merlot grape is planted on the proper terroir and harvested at its peak it produces a wine that is characterized as voluptuous, generous and distinctive. It just so happens that Petrus rests on 11.5 hectares of the 20-hectare Pomerol Plateau which is composed of a unique, blue clay soil that is 40 million years old.

This unique terroir allows the Merlot of Petrus to age effortlessly for 50 plus years, while some of the greatest vintages demand 20-30 years for them to mature and display their true essence. This is the reason collectors will spend thousands of dollars for a single bottle.

Petrus requires time to develop. Even though it’s produced from 100% Merlot, Petrus is one of the longest-lived Bordeaux wines. The best vintages of Petrus demand 20-30 years before they become fully mature and begin displaying their true essence and showing the reason why extremely wealthy wine lovers pay thousands of dollars for a single bottle of Petrus.

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93-96/100 Int’l Wine Cellar
Saturated ruby-red. Brilliant nose features kirsch, dark berries, and iron scents, with an overlay of perfumed, spicy oak. Lush, sweet and fragrant in the mouth, with a sappy freshness; clearly made from low yields. Finishes with toothcoating but suave tannins and remarkable persistence; stains the palate with spicy bitter cherry and citric skin flavor. 5/1996

93/100 Wine Advocate
After several uninspiring efforts between 1978 and 1988, it is irrefutable that Christian Moueix and his flagship estate, Petrus, have rebounded with a vengeance, producing a bevy of extraordinary wines, even in rain-plagued vintages such as 1992 and 1993. Opaque purple/black in color, with a sweet vanilla, pain grillee, jammy cherry and cassis-scented nose, this full-bodied, densely packed wine reveals layers of flavor, and an inner-core of sweetness with huge quantities of glycerin and depth. A tannic, classic style of Petrus, with immense body, great purity, and a backward finish, this wine requires a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035. 2/1997

93/100 Wine Spectator
*Cellar Selection* Wonderfully rich and concentrated, with milk chocolate, berry and floral aromas, loads of fruit flavors and soft, round tannins. Full-bodied and has good length. A great wine for the vintage, but then, what do you expect from Pétrus? 1/1997