Petrus

Petrus, Pomerol, 1988

Name: Petrus, Pomerol
Brand: Petrus

93/100

Vinous

Available Vintages

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Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

There aren't many 2017s that can compete on a level playing field with their 2016 counterparts. Perhaps Petrus is one. Olivier Berrouet has done a tremendous job. This was for many the wine of the vintage; it certainly makes a compelling case for the title. As soon as you immerse yourself in the glass you are transported by the ravishing bouquet. It is a quite unique experience that is unmistakably Petrus. This extraordinary terroir situated on blue clay is at its hedonistic best in 2017. It has produced a wine of immense stature and striking beauty with consummate ease. Produced from 100% Merlot from yields of 33hl/ha; there was a little coulure at the end of June, but otherwise the growing season was relatively easy. As always, macerations were gentle lasting 21 days, with no pumping over. Olivier explained that the key is to stop the macerations before any unwanted flavours are extracted. This is as noble as it gets. Initially one is intoxicated by the most beautiful perfume of pure damsons, tobacco leaf, roses, Provencal herbs, spiced red fruits - it is so complex and engaging. On the palate there are lavish sweet fruits, crème de mûre, strawberries and touches of spice. Layer after layer emerges; this is a veritable melting pot of ripe, seductive fruit. Although profound, even regal, this has such a sense of ease and composure. It feels effortless - as elegant and assured as it gets with the most wonderfully vibrant and complete saline finish. A true tour de force!

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GUARANTEED PROVENANCE

Provenance in fine wine

When it comes to purchasing wine, provenance is of upmost importance. A wine’s history – where it’s sourced from and how it’s been stored – can have an enormous influence on the eventual enjoyment it provides. At Justerini & Brooks, we can trace nearly every case back to the domaine, estate or Château it originally came from; we ship from over 200 wine producers throughout the world.

Wines not bought directly from the vineyard are either sourced from trusted suppliers, with whom we share the same philosophy and rigour in buying, or from our own network of Cellarers customers. These customers’ wines are stored in optimal conditions in Octavian Corsham and, in the vast majority of cases, have been stored by us since the wine was first shipped. We do not purchase wine from auctions.

We feel it is equally important to for our customers that the case they buy and leave in storage with us is exactly the same case they subsequently have delivered. This may sound obvious and straightforward, yet we are one of very few merchants to have taken measures to ensure this.

We have created a system where every case is independent, thereby ensuring a trail of ownership and peace of mind for every customer.

The Journey

Justerinis ensures that every case of wine stored with Cellarers (Wines) Ltd has a unique identifier and customer’s name, almost unheard of in the industry as it is expensive to administer. These details are printed and placed on every case which is logged and recorded under your account name and kept in the world’s most renowned storage facility, Octavian Corsham.

This information is sent from our systems to the warehouse every day to ensure the trail of ownership is verified and upheld.

While customer reserves are stored in Corsham, our physical stocks are kept in Hoddesdon, further providing a geographical separation between customers’ wines with Cellarers and Justerinis’ own stock.

Further Reassurance

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Cellarers (Wines) Ltd is audited by PwC every year.

Critic Reviews

93/100

Neal Martin,

Vinous

The 1988 Petrus fooled me when served blind. Its opulence tricked me into thinking it was the Le Pin tasted alongside. This might be partly because this came from magnum. It has a gorgeous nose, more expressive than the bottle at the Petrus vertical, with veins of blue fruit and iodine, thyme and sous-bois. Quite bold. The palate is medium-bodied and much less austere than its bottled counterpart, with impressive density, though without that peacock's tail that the next two vintages boast. Yet a very "useful" Petrus that will give another couple of decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted at the 1988 Bordeaux dinner at Noble Rot Mayfair.

drinking window 2024 - 2048

date of review 07/2024

product details

Specifications

Country:

Region:

Appellation:

Producer:

style:

Grape Variety:

Merlot Cabernet Franc

abv:

15%

allergen information

This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.