Petrus: The quality equivalent of a first growth, Chateau Petrus has produced numerous legendary wines. Several of which are listed below. Petrus is planted with nearly 70 year old vines, approximately 95% of which is Merlot planted  in almost all clay soil. The wine is fermented in concrete vats and generally aged in new oak for 22 to 28 months. Some of the most age worthy wines in France come from Petrus. 

Petrus (RP 100 Point Wines):

2000 Petrus - 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.

1990 Petrus - The phenomenally rich, well-endowed 1990 Petrus has been magical from the first time I tasted it in cask. The color is a dense, jammy plum/purple. The wine possesses a knock-out nose of black fruits intertwined with aromas of toasty new oak, caramel, and flowers. Massively rich and full-bodied, with slightly lower acidity and sweeter tannin than its older sibling, the 1989, the 1990 is an extraordinarily rich, seamless wine with layers of flavor, and a finish that lasts for nearly 45 seconds. Although it is remarkably accessible because of its voluptuous texture, this wine has not begun to develop secondary nuances. It should hit its peak in 10-15 years, and last for three decades.

1989 Petrus - Multi-millionaire collectors will have fun comparing the 1989 and 1990 Petrus. The 1989 has a slightly more saturated color, and seems more tightly knit both aromatically and on the palate. However, this is splitting hairs, as this is another stunningly opulent, rich, full-bodied, amazingly concentrated, exotic, flamboyant Petrus that remains remarkably youthful, and in need of 7-8 more years of bottle age. Additionally, the tannins are slightly more elevated, at least from a tactile impression. However, the 1989 looks to be another 30-year wine, with extraordinary equilibrium between all of its component parts. An amazing effort!

1961 Petrus - An estate only needs to produce a handful of wines such as the 1961 Petrus to garner an international following. Not surprisingly, the 1961 Petrus was pure perfection. This fully mature wine possesses a port-like richness (reminiscent of the 1947 Petrus and 1947 Cheval Blanc). The color revealed considerable amber and garnet, but the wine is crammed with viscous, thick, over-ripe black-cherry, mocha-tinged fruit flavors. Extremely full-bodied, with huge amounts of glycerin and alcohol, this unctuously-textured, thick wine makes for an awesome mouthful. Imagine a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup laced with layers of coffee and cherry, and encased in a shell of Valrhona chocolate!

1947 Petrus - The 1947 Petrus is the most decadent "wine of the century." While not as port-like as the 1947 Cheval Blanc, it is a massive, unctuously-textured, viscous wine with amazing power, richness, and sweet fruit. The nose explodes from the glass, offering jammy fruit, smoke, and buttery caramel scents. The wine's viscosity is reminiscent of 10-W-40 motor oil. It is so sweet, thick, and rich one suspects a spoon could stand upright. The wine is loaded with dream-like quantities of fruit, as well as high alcohol, but there is no noticeable tannin. While drinkable now, given its amazing fruit extract, and high levels of glycerin and alcohol, it is capable of lasting two more decades.

1929 Petrus - Talk about a thrill a second, as well as unprecedented decadence (at least for me), consider the rarity of a flight of six double magnums of Petrus! Because there were not many people at the tasting, there was the possibility of having several large glasses of these wines, making judging them all the more fun. And let's not forget the medical benefit of flushing the fat out of one's arteries with such remarkable juice! I had never seen, much less tasted the 1929 Petrus. The wine was perfect. The deep ruby/garnet color exhibited some amber/orange at the edge. A huge, thick wine with extraordinary aromas of coffee, mocha, black-cherries, herbs, and cedar, this unctuously-textured, thick, tannic, massively concentrated wine was remarkably intact. It could have easily been mistaken for a 30-35 year old wine. This must be one of the rarest wines in the world as even Christian Moueix claimed he had never tasted it.

1921 Petrus - The 1921 Petrus (never before tasted) was, to state it mildly, out of this universe! The opaque color displayed considerable amber at the edge, but the blockbuster nose of black-raspberries, freshly brewed coffee, and mocha/toffee-like candy was followed by one of the sweetest, most opulent, thick, juicy wines I have ever tasted. Extraordinarily rich and opulent, with interesting cedar notes to the succulent flavors, this huge, unbelievably concentrated wine could have been mistaken for the 1950 or 1947. If ever I were to kill for a wine .....