Petrus, Pomerol, 2013

The 2013 Petrus is medium garnet in color. It rolls out with expressive notions of black cherry compote, cassis, rose oil, and licorice, followed by suggestions of spice cake, fertile loam, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is laden with youthful red and black fruit layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and fragrant. This is a triumph for this vintage!

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2042

date of review 08/2023

The 2013 Petrus has a somewhat dour nose, and compared to the Lafleur, it lacks fruit intensity and freshness. There is an underlying herbaceous element here. The palate is medium-bodied with somewhat dry tannins, moderate weight and fine acidity. Given the peppery finish, you might presume there was some Cabernet Franc in the blend. But it is a bit facile within this estate's pantheon of great wines. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2030

date of review 08/2023

In contrast to many estates, Petrus believes ‘above all you should not chaptilise; you need to take what nature gives you and make the most of it. Nature is the boss’. These were the words of winemaker Olivier Berrouet when I was tasting the En Primeur version of this wine, and it was clearly a sensible choice because it still feels unforced and full of pleasure at 10 years old. You'll find both grip and character, the tannins offering finely-boned architecture for the blueberry and blackberry fruit, and there's a kick of life through the finish. Confident, deft winemaking and in many ways an excellent way to approach Petrus and understand a little bit what it is about - although the price difference from other vintages doesn't reflect the difference in concentration and ageing potential. Harvest took place over three days, 2-4-6 October, bringing in a yield of 25 hl/h compared to 33 hl/h in 2012.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2036

date of review 02/2023