Petrus 2018

Reserved, of absolute precision and transparency, with an almost Burgundian fruit expression, great density and depth, and a long finish with a perceptible warmth.

Plush and inviting, with steeped red and black currant and fig flavors that meld nicely with fruitcake, Christmas pudding and anise notes through the finish. Subtle dark earth hint at the end keeps it grounded. The vintage's slightly austere edge is here, but is minimized by the fruit, helping this stand apart from the pack. Best from 2023 through 2034.

97–99. Barrel Sample. This is a dark, serious wine, concentrated with richness and freshness at the same time. The ripe tannins are impeccably balanced by fine acidity and a ripe blackberry flavor. It shows the supreme quality of Pomerol's Merlots in this vintage. Of course, it will age for nearly forever.

Clear flesh to the plump damson fruits, alongside grilled caramel, graphite, cassis bud and cocoa bean. The tannins are plentiful, but they are plush, ripe and flexible, and as such are full of Pomerol signature. As it opens through the palate, you realise just how much grip and persistency there is, and the more serious side asserts itself, with bitter cocoa shavings and fresh acidities. A more approachable Petrus at this early stage than in many years, but the kick is there and this is getting set for the long term. 50% new oak, 3.6 pH. A yield of 37hl/ha. Bottled in July after two months in vat following end of barrel ageing.

An extremely exotic red wine with crushed berries and a bouquet of flowers. So aromatic and perfumed. Full bodied and layered with lots of pretty oak, enticing fruit and tannins. Velvety. Best after 2028.

The 2018 Pétrus, matured in 50% new oak, was assessed over a period of 24 hours. It has a magnificent nose, replete with intense black currant, crushed violet and vanilla-y scents, the latter becoming subsumed with modest aeration. These aromas are chiseled to the nth degree and as harmonious as the Everly Brothers. The palate is, to use the phrase I employed out of barrel, quintessential Pétrus. The tannins are less grainy and lend this Pétrus a beguiling satiny veneer that is irresistible. Deep and gently gripping in the mouth, it has retained the clarity and pixelation I noted in barrel. The stunning tension and cohesion toward the finish will leave you with a Cheshire Cat grin plastered all over your face. I maintain that this is among Olivier Berrouet’s finest Pétrus to date.

The color of the ancient and priceless Sunrise Ruby replete with ornate reflections of royal purple, this wine moves you. Its perfume begins with a lightning bolt of flowers, cocoa, truffle, licorice, black cherry and even blacker plums. On the palate, the wine is extraordinarily concentrated. The fruit tastes and feels darker than usual with more command, opulence, depth and length. The flavors are expansive, moving from plummy mid-palate to a spicy, licorice, dark chocolate, mint and kirschwasser finish that remains with you for well over 60 seconds! The wine reached 14.5% ABV with a pH of 3.7. The harvest took place September 13-27 and the wine is aging in 50% new, French oak barrels. 98-100 Pts

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Multi-faceted bouquet with intense dark berry fruit, a hint of sweet spices, some nougat and orange zest. Powerfully fruity, ripe plum, black cherry, velvety tannins, very good freshness with a touch of chocolate on the finish, mineral and long-lasting on the palate.

Kunz Fassprobe 19: (100% Merlot, 37 hl/ha) Silky, dense, deep, fresh and complex bouquet: blueberries, After Eight, strawberry jelly, fine cedar notes, blackcurrant, subtle red liquorice. Sleek, concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, fresh, silky palate with highly concentrated, wide-ranging aromatics, a dense, silky structure, plenty of very fine tannins, fresh, sweet fruit. Very long, dense, fine, fresh finish with many lingering aromas.

(100% Merlot, 37 hl/ha) A silky, dense, profound, fresh and complex bouquet with notes of blueberries, After Eight, strawberry jelly, a subtle hint of cedar, blackcurrant, and delicate red liquorice. A refined, concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, fresh, silky palate with highly concentrated, diverse aromatics, a dense, silky structure, plenty of very fine tannins, fresh, sweet fruit, and a very long, dense, fine, fresh finish with many lingering echoes. 20/20 2026 - 2058

In a vintage that favoured Merlot, it's hard to ignore that Petrus should be on your list of wines to lay down. You won't even have to wait as long as in years such as 2016 or 2019 for this Petrus to come around, as the tannins are a little more pliable than you usually find in the early years. But there is kick and concentration here, with fleshy damson and cassis fruits, plush and luxurious with cocoa pod, grilled almonds, graphite and cigar box. 50% new oak, 3.6ph. 37hl/ha yield. Brilliant stuff from winemaker Olivier Berrouet.

The 2018 Petrus has a deep garnet purple color. It skips out of the glass with lifted scents of Morello cherries, redcurrant jelly, and fresh mulberries, plus suggestions of black olives, truffles, and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very firm and taut with ripe, grainy tannins and muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Typically for this vineyard, it will require patience!

At Petrus, the harvest took place between September 13 and 27. “We were able to harvest parcel by parcel, with great precision, which was fundamental in 2018,” notes Olivier Berrouet, Technical Director. What finesse and subtlety in this bouquet, marked by floral notes and hints of red berries. As the tasting unfolds, the bouquet gains in complexity. An elegant attack, subtly refined. A fine aromatic expression on the palate with flavors of black berries and licorice. A juicy character, enhanced by the vibrancy of the acidic structure, which supports the palate through to the finish. Petrus 2018 shines through its status as a quiet force, its power perfectly under control. It also asserts finesse and depth. I am struck by this symbiosis of breadth and vibrancy, by this exceptional balance. A refreshing tension at the end of the palate, with an intensely fruity, persistent finish. A tremendous success.

Logo on the cork: CB Dark, intense, deep purple color—beautiful and profound. Very aromatic nose, refined, subtle, noble and complex, with a slight, delicate richness reminiscent of blackberry jelly. Supple on entry, especially aromatic through the mid-palate, with a fine, silky texture; the wine moves forward gently, gliding and melting—complex, deep and noble. On the finish, a touch of rightful austerity remains, evoking clay. Very airy in its expression. Note that decanting brings it nothing, except to enhance a tactile sensation comparable to that of a great dry white wine. Alcohol: 14.7%, imperceptible. Aging: 50% new oak. Duration: 16 months.

The 2018 Petrus has retained its opaque purple-black color after bottling, foreshadowing the seemingly frozen-in-time glacial pace at which this wine is proceeding. It opens very reluctantly, requiring considerable air with vigorous swirling and doggedly demands a few hours before it offers glimpses at this slumbering giant of a wine. As it eventually unfurls, it slowly morphs into a powerful, fantastically pure nose of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and blueberry compote, followed by nuances of molten licorice, dark chocolate, black truffles, iron ore and, still later, floral notions of lilacs and rose oil come through. The full-bodied palate is taut, muscular and oh-so-tightly wound at this stage, revealing peeks at many, many layers of perfectly ripe black and blue fruits, exotic spices and earthy notions for which words simply fail. The texture is at once rock solid and fantastically plush, with impeccably knit freshness, finishing so long you really can't taste or think of anything else for the rest of the day. Here is a heart-stopping titan that puts paid to all those naysayers who contest that perfection in wine cannot exist. It will require a good 8-10 years to hit its stride, then it is very likely to outlive us all, but you will want to make certain you drink this one before you go.