Petrus is one of the rarest and most sought after wines from Bordeaux, and maybe in the world. Most wine lovers have heard about this wine, but few have had the pleasure of tasting it. Below is an exclusive collection of Peter’s personal Petrus tastings for you to enjoy.
22/05/1987: Petrus 1926, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: quite light, brown-orange colour; Nose: quite volatile, port-like, almost Madeira; Palate: not nice, acid, no more body, wine probably past its peak fifteen years ago.
65p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1928, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: light orange-brownish, quite transparent; Nose: volatile Madeira on the nose, a bit of coffee; Palate: some body, but clearly past its peak, but drinkable.
80p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1945 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
Colour: lovely, very dark red brick colour; Nose: very complex nose of red berries, wood and hints of leather; Palate: superb concentration, very rich and long, finishes quite dry, very large and complex, jammy fruit, a bit of bitterness in the concentrated and dry finish.
98p; After three hours: 98p
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17/05/1988: Petrus 1945 (magnum), Nils Stormby tasting, Malmö Sweden
Colour: very dark, superb, fading in colour towards the edges; Nose: old, superb fruit, refined, a bit of leather and coffee, very present; Palate: wonderful entry, quite full, nice bitterness in the end, glycerin, great wine, with an excellent dry finish.
93p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1945, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark red brick, lovely colour; Nose: fresh, ripe, quite seductive, great wine, a bit jammy; Palate: earthy, nice body, burns slightly, nice structure but a bit dry, has fruit and tanins, not very long but superb. Great wine, holds itself well and nice complexity, but was most likely better ten years ago.
90p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1947, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: Brown-red dark, slightly faded; Nose: port wine, heavy, blueberries; Palate: dry, entry in the mouth quite firm, lots of taste, quite complex, nice length. It was probably superb and powerful, now a bit faded.
87p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1948 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: superb, almost black, very dense; Nose: coomplex black and red fruits; Palate: concentrated, slightly acid, sever and lively, complex, a lot of character and acidity.
90p; After two hours : great wine, a bit tough, not very charming, but good length, opening up slightly 92p
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1948, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour:very dark, a bit faded, cloudy Nose:sweet port wine, but at the same time seems dry Palate: thick and oily on entry, then peppery and powerful, quite concentrated.
87p
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24/06/1989: Petrus 1949 (magnum), Private tasting, Paris
Colour: super, red old brick; Nose: ripe, old with hints of volatile acid; Palate: alot of fruit, dry and soft tannins, tannins also quite present in the finish, even tannins staying on the teeth, but fantastic, very old and ripe at the same time, a great, great wine.
98+p
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1949 (Vandermeulen-Decannière bottled), Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: red with brownish edges; Nose: a little bit of cork behind this concentrated jammy fruit, superbly ripe; Palate: very nice entry into the mouth then suddenly not good, slightly acid and dry, but ok to drink, however without great pleasure.
80p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1950 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: dark red brick; Nose: intriguing and very complex; Palate: at opening a bit tough, but impressive, dry, a lot of scent and complex taste, very long, still a bit tough, but well balanced after half an hour.
After half an hour: 92p
After three hours: A bit of a disappointment given the reputation of this vintage, but the wine still seems closed up which is normal for a magnum, but will probably obtain 95p in 5-10 years
90p
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02/02/1985: Petrus 1950, Private tasting, Paris
Colour: dark red brick; Palate: very nice quite dry, soft grainy tannins, a little bit of an earthy taste, quite reserved, a bit disappointing
90p
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16/05/1997: Petrus 1952 (Top shoulder), Rue Hautefeuille with Mr Yoshikazu Ozawa, Paris
Colour: red brick; Nose: very ripe Merlot, jammy, round and fragrant; Palate: round, soft, fragrant, rich and complex, pleasant, nice length, a bit spicy.
After half an hour: 93p more balanced, easy and rich
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1952, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark red with brownish edges; Nose: peppery ripe, slightly acidic; Palate: excellent entry then good and pleasant, nice length, fruit slightly dry, but good charm, has started to decline.
90p
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02/02/1985: Petrus 1952, Private tasting, Paris
Palate: not unforgettable, nice but not more than that.
84p
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11/10/2005: Petrus 1953 (mid-shoulder), Kojitani tasting, Restaurant Kikanoi, Kyoto, Japan
Colour: slightly red brick, but a bit cloudy; Palate: light Merlot, refined, gracious tanic finish;
After two hours: concentration has grown to become superb and almost jammy, a bit volatile, but excellent, rich with finesse, both rough and smooth tanins.
94p
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18/03/1998: Petrus 1953 (top shoulder magnum), Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Nose: strongly corked; Palate: better than the nose, balanced, dense and old, but the cork taste hinders any kind of depth and complexity, excellent structure and quite refined.
could probably be 88+p (if in good condition)
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1953 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: dark red, brick colour around the edges; Nose: fantastic leather, followed by concentrated black fruits; Palate: nice, but not as harmonious as you would expect it to be, but excellent – even superb.
95p
Leather perfume with a taste of dead leaves which I love, very good length
After two hours: still 95p
Says very attractive in the glass
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1953, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark but clear; Nose: truffles and earth, excellent dry, clean jammy and ripe; Palate: excellent, complex, less concentrated than 1945 & 1947, but better balanced, clearly reflects Pomerol’s soil.
90p
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08/08/1986: Petrus 1953, Bipin Desay / Grünewald tasting at Michael’s, Los Angeles, USA
Nose: very reserved, very refined; Palate: very fine, tightly knit. Round, good fruit, discreet, very long with superb balance.
93p
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11/08/1985: Petrus 1953 (Harveys bottling), Rue Suger, Paris
Colour: red, quite brick on the edges; Nose: thick, dusty, quite ripe fruit; Palate: soft, a bit sweet, well constructed and quite a long finish. Very nice and long but a bit one dimensional, not very refined, finished a bit tannic with slight bitterness, easy and pleasant to drink, almost like tomatoes with garlic!
90p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1954 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: red brownish, very light; Nose: very advanced leather and almost port like; Palate: delicious, full and silky, not a lot of fruit, but very good but very surprising with this full feeling, very little tannins.
After half an hour : 92p
After one hour : 90p
After two hours : descending to 82p, drink up!
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22/05/1987 : Petrus 1954, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: brown yellow colour, quite light; Nose: artificial sweet strawberry, some toffee, not natural; Palate: sweet, fat at the entry, old but keeps well in the mouth, nice but not really wine, burns, peppery, quite short. Could be superb if paired with the right food.
84p
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14/10/1998: Petrus 1955 (top shoulder), Macéo restaurant, Paris
Nose: extraordinary nose, concentrated and complex; Palate: superb, but very quickly quite volatile and a bit short, a real shame.
89p
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30/10/1997: Petrus 1955 (Mise Belge), Quo Vadis Restaurant, London
Nose: superb nose of ripe Merlot, with some wood and blueberries; Palate: soft, harmonious, slightly grainy, excellent fruit, nice wood, classy, declining but still alot of pleasure, quite an impressive bottle for those who love old wine, not yet volatile, keeps well, smokey wood, very nice feeling, calm and pleasant.
93p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1955 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: dense, not very yielding; Nose: clear red centre with hints of brick colour around the edges; Palate: Tough but excellent, an old wine that keeps very well, very pretty with good acidity.
90p
After one hour : 92p
After three hours: 88p
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1955, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark, slighty cloudy, bordeaux red, leaning towards brick colour; Nose: concentrated, seems jammy and at its best, the first faultless wine; Palate: Full bodied, nice concentrated fruit, harmonious, no faults, a bit dry in the end, nice bitterness, medium length
90p
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1958, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: superb dark, almost scary, clear brick colour; Nose: a little bit of cork behind, seems a bit over the top; Palate: concentrated dense, superb entry, then thins out a bit but very pleasant, drink now, nice harmony, but neither very complex nor powerful. But having said this a great wine, aromas of tobacco, earth, easy drinking, dry nice finish.
90+p
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22/5/1987: Petrus 1959, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: very beautiful colour, quite dark and clear; Nose: fine, almost metal, jammy; Palate: full, still young, a lot of body and tannins, the fruit not yet very developed, fine, quite peppery, not yet at its peak.
90p
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02/02/1985: Petrus 1959, Private tasting, Paris
Palate: powerful structure, granulated, but lacking a bit of roundness and fruit, a great wine, but not easy to taste, so my judgement is slightly theoretical, possibly too young.
90p
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19/04/1983: Petrus 1959, Claude Darrozze restaurant with Maud Thustrup, Bordeaux
Colour: Dark ruby, very little brick colour; Nose: great old wine, a little bit of leather, still a bit closed; Palate: silky, strong, complex, a bit smokey, finish is quite tannic, a very very great wine, but is it worth four times the price of Léoville Las Cases 1964 ? No, it’s over-priced, given its taste, but of course the name makes it expensive.
95p
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13/04/1999: Petrus 1960 (bottle #1), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: red brown, quite light in colour; Palate: soft, subtle and fine, superb balance and length, classy with an excellent finish.
92p
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13/04/1999: Petrus 1960 (bottle #2 : very top shoulder), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: light red brick, turning towards brown; Nose: excellent; Palate: soft and beautifully fragrant, balanced and quite long, refined wine.
90p
After two hours : soft, fine, round, great classy wine to drink now, but the finish has a slight bitterness
90p
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18/03/1998: Petrus 1960 (magnum) Bottle #1, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: soft and round, nice balance, not very profound, but pleasant, to drink now.
87p
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18/03/1998: Petrus 1960 (magnum) Bottle #2, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: : more evolved than bottle #1, even slightly jammy, but fluid and not very concentrated.
85p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1961 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
NB: this bottle was tasted just after being transported which downgrades even more a bottle which wasn’t a good example of a Petrus 1961; Nose: a touch of Madeira; Palate:
83p
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17/05/1988: Petrus 1961, Nils Stormby tasting, Malmö, Sweden
Colour: very beautiful, dark, slightly brick on the edges; Nose: vanilla, toffee and a bit of dust; Palate:
After 1 hour: slowly going down, but still very pleasant
93p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1961, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: black in the middle, superb, edges brick colour; Nose: concentrated powerful but great class, seductive, a little bit port-like, excellent; Palate: : Wow ! Incredibly complex, round and concentrated, very difficult to spit out. A lot of earthy taste, tobacco, superb wine, a kind of serious bitter exquisite taste.
100p
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06/07/2000: Petrus 1962, Vacation in Prugnano, Italy
Colour: dark red, slightly orange, clear, profound and dark, superb; Nose: jammy, superb, on the verge of being volatile; Palate: jammy and licorice, concentrated and strong, long and great, thick and unctuous, yet still refined, full of life, thanks to its refined acidity and soft tannins, amazing after 38 years ! Incredible wine, balance, roundness, with a burning alcohol finish which is pleasant.
96p
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12/02/1999: Petrus 1962 (mid-shoulder), tasted in St Cloud in Peter Thustrup’s home
Colour: red, but cloudy, a lot of sediment; Nose: nice, typical Merlot, but not very complex; Palate: good, a bit volatile, on the verge of becoming unpleasant but still ok.
90+p
After half an hour : soft, fragrant, but disappointing, good concentration of fruit, mouth filling and quite long
90p
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09/10/1996: Petrus 1962, Mr Sekine’s golf club in Gunma, Japan with Mr Ozawa & Mr Shinohara
Palate: the bottle was slightly cold (directly from Mr Sekine’s cellar). Tasted accompanying a dish of soba noodles for lunch. Balanced, textured body, shows nicely with excellent acidity in the finish, superb but not so open given that it’s slightly cold.
92+p
After half an hour : opens up, classy, concentrated but refined, with a nice typical Merlot flavour, very nice feeling, calmness, you almost don’t feel that you have drunk two glasses
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1962 (magnum), Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark red brick, completely clear; Nose: superb, fine ripe complex, great class, licorice, round and concentrated; Palate: alot of aroma, nice wood, everything in excellent harmony, slightly rough (like all the others) but powerful and a wide palate of tastes, good complexity, tobacco and earth.
93p
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13/04/1999: Petrus 1964 (bottle #1, corked dropped into bottle), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: dark brick; Nose: a little bit volatile; Palate: soft, volatile, a little bit of meat, then acidic and apple in the end – we will see how it evolves.
84+p
After one and a half hours : soft, round, old and volatile, good but the finish a bit acid
87p
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13/04/1999: Petrus 1964 (bottle #2), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Nose: healthy, old and some vanilla; Palate: soft and refined, round, long, good old wine.
92p
After half an hour: good, pleasant, fruity, but slightly green, but nice
87p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1964 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Palate: soft, refined, nice length, ressembles the 1971, delicious, but a bit dry in the end, should be tasted with a meal.
After one hour: 95p
After two hours: 90p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1964, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark brick; Nose: ripe fruit, almost Young, onctuous and sweet; Palate: tobacco, nice body at entry, excellent but not very complex and slightly bitter at the end, but stands out well.
87p
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15/12/1984: Petrus 1964 (mid-shoulder), with Véronique Toeffaert and Christian Bevolle, Paris
Nose: playing hide and seek, not very open, nice but not impressive; Palate: open, balanced, rich without being fat, long and silky, much better on the palate compared to the nose, maybe because of the fact that it’s a mid-shoulder bottle. Great bottle, but not concentrated, quite loosely textured, has a structure of a Saint Estèphe with dry tannins which then turns into a more soft and silky texture.
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06/07/2000: Petrus 1966,Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Nose: nice nose; Palate: attractive old mushrooms with a pretty dry but nice finish.
89p
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07/10/1996: Petrus 1966 (level in the neck), Restaurant Grace, Tokyo, Japan
Palate: round, full of fruit, soft tannins, not charming, but full of fruit and concentrated, stings the mouth very slightly, but great pleasure, textured but refined at the same time. Tannins on the teeth, good balance, not long but not short, seems still Young. The question is whether the fruit will still be there when the tannins have softened. Great wine, impressive, but lack of charm, this having been said, a classy Merlot.
91p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1966, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: very beautiful dark red brick colour; Nose: younger, jammy, class and refinement, but has is quite concentrated and ripe; Palate: entry slightly bitter, nice dry fruit and concentrated, not yet at its top, but very very good, a bit of licorice, quite refined, quite dry, ripe nice taste and finish dry and pleasant.
93p
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21/05/1984: Petrus 1966, Tasted blind at Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: very beautiful dark red brick colour; Nose: old leather, holding back a bit, but everything’s there; Palate: fat, old, dense, charming and powerful, maybe slightly too dense (resembles Cheval Blanc 1966). Drink 1986-2030.
100p
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27/02/1985: Petrus 1967, Jardin des Gourmets restaurant, Paris
Colour: dark red; Palate: very good, texturized, not very fat but excellent, quite long, much better than the 1959, as always over-priced.
90p
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16/04/2000: Petrus 1968 (level: half a cm in the neck), Piatto Restaurant, Fukuyama, Japan (NB: just been transported)
Colour: a bit cloudy; Nose: quite good, a bit volatile, nice; Palate: dense, a lot of fruit, but a bit volatile, good potential, classy, nice Merlot, but stings slightly in the finish, probably due to the fact that the sediment is still floating around the bottle.
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1970 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Palate: powerful, texturized, tannins on the teeth, not very impressive, lacks a refinement, but concentrated.
90p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1970, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: superb dark clear, but lacks life; Nose: warm, not very complex, ripe, not very old, chocolate; Palate: rich strong and powerful, feeling of being large on the palate, soft and also dry tanins, the fruits seems not yet developed but at the same time I have a feeling this wine will not keep for very long. Excellent now, but not for keeping.
87p
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29/09/1990: Petrus 1971 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: beautiful dark brick colour; Nose: leather, very ripe fruits; Palate: soft, refined, ripe, drinks very well now, a bit dry but very nice and a nice length.
After one hour: 90p
After two hours: 90p
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22/05/1987: Petrus 1971, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: nice red, a little bit brick around the edges; Nose: subtle, ripe, peppery; Palate: serious wine, licorice, masculine tanins from beginning to end, nice fruit concentration, a little bit swet in the beginning, very large and quite full taste.
90p
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26/01/1987: Petrus 1971, Rue Laugier, Paris
Nose: very subtle fruit; Palate: at opening, smooth, fine, subtle fruit, a bit of almond, very little tanins in the finish, excellent wine tasted with cheese, great experience, great wine at its peak.
90p
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23/01/1987: Petrus 1971, Ellingsen residence, London
Colour: quite light, brown-orange colour; Palate: superb, soft, refined and very pleasant, complex with very good length.
93+p
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13/04/1999: Petrus 1972 (magnum), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: red brick, quite light, a bit cloudy; Nose: quite volatile, port-like, almost Madeira; Palate: soft, old, but good, then a bit dry and acidic, but pleasant, mushrooms, excellent wine, to my surprise almost slightly sweet.
90p
After two hours: still good, pleasant
88p
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07/06/2008: Petrus 1973, Le Calenda, Aix en Provence
Nose: superb, ripe Merlot; Palate: soft, very nice, slightly magical.
90p
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24/05/2008: Petrus 1973, Le Calenda with Béatrice & Eric Vaccaro, Aix en Provence
Palate: like the one tasted in Tokyo on April 25th. Nice balance, refined fruit, but also round and full at the same time.
92p
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25/04/2008: Petrus 1973, Kojitani Petrus Tasting, Tokyo, Japan
Palate: resembles a 1980, but with less concentration, has lost a little bit of fruit, but is still as pleasant.
92p
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02/07/2008: Petrus 1973, Aix en Provence
NB:bottle opened 4 days ago. Palate: soft, fragrant, well-balanced, still some fruit and with certain class.
92p
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0/09/2001: Petrus 1973, St Cloud with Rie & Roy Glantz
Colour: quite light red with brick on the edges; Palate: Fine, burns slightly in the finish, but has concentration and good fruit, classy and pleasant.
90p
After half an hour : 92p
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14/02/2001: Petrus 1973, Verbier with Mia & Anders Bergendahl, Switzerland. NB : Provenance – private French cellar / level : 0.5cm into the neck.
Colour: quite light red colour; Palate: soft, nice concentration, slightly bitter in the finish, has not yet softened up, wait.
90p
Half an hour : very nice, softer and more open, but this wine has to be drunk in 5 or maximum 10 years.
92p
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24/10/2010: Petrus 1973 (Magnum, provenance VRPT), Restaurant Château de Ebisu Robouchon, Tokyo, Japan
Nose: superb, ripe fruit, distinguished, round, dense; Palate: superb, slightly cold, but it tightens the fragrance, refined, but good concentration at the same time as being balanced. Not a great vintage but it’s even better. A vintage which shows Petrus without trying to impress by power, balanced and full of pleasure, very classy. A great vintage for those who like refinement, but as this is a magnum it could give even more with age.
95p (could be 98p in bottle)
After 3 hours : still superb, intense, fragrant, very nice finish
After 3 hours : 93p
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03/12/1996: Petrus 1973, Restaurant Bamboche, Paris
Palate: refined, balanced, pleasant, classy, maybe slightly short, but very good, drink now. Easy to appreciate, just runs down the throat, but not that complex or concentrated, but a balanced finish.
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29/04/1996: Petrus 1973, Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Colour: super bred, quite brick turning to brick colour; Nose: After half an hour : ripe fruit but seems slightly acidic, mixed with cheese, lilies, wood and tobacco; Palate: soft, good fruit, ripe and pleasant, but then comes this little acidity which is however excellent. The acidity balances out the fruit beautifully.
90p
Half an hour : delicious, fine, nice fruit, a bit dry, balanced finish. Superb texture, but not the concentrated fruit of a young vintage (but this is a small vintage, has a lot of class, ready to drink now, a bit tanic and dry, but very nice balance in the finish).
After half an hour : 91p
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22/06/2000: Petrus 1974, Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: slightly volatile, finished dry with no pleasure.
80p
After one hour: picking up and shows a bit of balance, good : 84p
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22/06/2000: Petrus 1974 (magnum), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: slightly volatile, finished dry with no pleasure.
80p
After one hour : picking up and shows a bit of balance, good: 84p
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18/03/1998: Petrus 1974 bottle #1, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: sophisticated with class, but on the balance an almost agressive wine, needs longer to soften.
80p
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18/03/1998: Petrus 1974 bottle #2, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: much better, better than bottle #1, seems more advanced in age, softer and better balanced.
84p
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09/03/2007: Petrus 1975, Calenda with Anders Thustrup, Aix en Provence
NB : First grand bottle tasted after my Guillain Barré. Palate: Just tasted one glass, stings on the tongue, rather good, but a lot of alcohol (very difficult to taste after not having tasted wines for 6 months).
90p
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13/04/99: Petrus 1975 (bottle #1),, Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: brick colour Nose: leather and red fruits, Palate: soft at its peak, nice fragrance, pleasant and long.
90p
After one hour : nice body, licorice but the finish is slightly acidic, not a very good bottle, lacks in balance
87p
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13/04/99: Petrus 1975 (bottle #2), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Palate: nice fragrant, soft and round, but the finish is slightly dry and not very long.
86p
After one hour : quite good, but some burning feeling on the tongue in the finish
82p
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26/03/1999: Petrus 1975, Saint Cloud
NB: half bottle which has just been re-bottled at chateau. Nose: superb, a bit volatile, clearly an old wine; Palate: soft, fine, smooth and long, 100% balanced, fragrant and round – perfect harmony.
100p
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29/04/1995: Petrus 1975, Sherton Hotel, Bordeaux tasting Malmö, Sweden
Colour: superb, deep red; Nose: complex and deep, ripe fruit, interesting, slightly closed; Palate: very mouth filling, ripe fruit, but still a lot of tanins and a beautiful long finish, full of tanins, impressive.
After one hour: 95p
After two hours: 94p
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29/09/1990 : Petrus 1975 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: dark red brick; Nose: ripe and very impressive; Palate: tannic, ripe, full, a bit coarse, dry and sweet.
After one hour : 90p
After two hours : 85p
After three hours : dry, surprisingly little fruit : 83p
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22/5/87 : Petrus 1975, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: very dark red, beautiful brick edges; Nose: quite closed, potential of becoming great, excellent concentration, a superb and very refined nose; Palate: balanced, perfect, powerful and concentrated, good length, but not ripe enough, otherwise it would have been an extraordinary wine, soft tanins, quite a refined bottle.
95p
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29/09/1990 : Petrus 1976, Restaurant Apicius, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: nice red, slightly brick on the edges; Palate: earthy and rough fruit, but very nice in the mouth, soft, a bit rustic, mouth filling ripe fruit, concentrated, great pleasure.
93p
22/5/87 : Petrus 1976, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Colour: dark red, crystal clear; Nose: young but ripe and concentrated, quite fine; Palate: chocolate, fruit with nice tanins, finishing slightly dry in the end, nice complexity of aromas, extraordinary concentration and quite refined in the end
98p
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04/10/84: Petrus 1976, tasted with D.Clutier in Mougins, a gift from Mr Terré
Colour: ruby, quite dark with orange around the edges; Nose: rich, quite a lot of alcohol
After 15 mins:
Palate: full, rich, round, finishes a bit dry, but long. A very great wine, ripe but a bit bitter in the finish. Velvety/dry on the tongue, very easy to drink, better than Lafitte 1959 ( ?) that I tasted at Morot Gaudry on 22/08/1984.
After 45 mins:
Same as after 15 mins : alot of dry extract, rich, chewy, strong and well built (dry). Today I prefer the Certan de May 1978.
After two hours: concentrated, tanins have now opened, refined a bit bitter, rich but I have no desire to finish the bottle. Clearly inferioir to Musigny Vögué 1971.
90p
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18/12/2000: Petrus 1977, St Cloud with Drew & Chantale Harré, Mr & Mrs Ozawa, Babette & Otto Kern
NB: opened just before tasting, decanted and then served; Palate: soft, superb balance, gracious, pleasant, quite complex.
92p
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10/11/1998: Petrus 1977, Riyokan Asaba Hotel, Shuzen-Ji, Japan
Colour: brick around the edges, beautiful dark red in the centre; Nose: excellent, a little bit acid, metallic, clean, restrained fruit; Palate: balanced, a little round easygoing fruit, but with certain class and length.
Perfect harmony, drink now, uncomplicated but beautiful wine. All the tasters loved this wine because of its balance and the smell of mushrooms on the nose.
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25/01/1983: Petrus 1977 (195FF/29€), Restaurant La Tupina, Bordeaux (my first visit)
Colour: tanic, closed, balanced, some bitterness, long and wet in the mouth, no tanins in the finish;
After 45 minutes : still closed, good balance, but it’s a shame it’s too early, the wine’s too young, has no personality, you can only sense that it is a pretty great wine. A massive body.
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29/09/90: Petrus 1978 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: intense, red with a slightly brick nuance around the edges; Nose: complex and fine; Palate: round, soft, already drinking very well, quite ripe fruit, good length, with strawberry and black currant on the finish.
After one hour : 90p
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26/10/1995: Petrus 1978, Vin sur Vin, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: red brick, quite clear; Nose: superb, ripe fruit; Palate: soft, refined, not very concentrated, but perfectly ripe, superb, fine, delicious, seems even slightly diluted, very easy to drink.
91p
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25/09/1997: Petrus 1978, Macéo Restaurant with the Vins Rares team, Paris
Colour: dark red, slightly orange; Nose: cherries and dirty wood; Palate: nice, smokey, with some blackcurrant, nice length, classy.
87p
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07/09/1997: Petrus 1978, Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Colour: clear red, quite dark; Nose: red fruits, blueberries; Palate: intense, acid and spicy, in my view not enough fruit, a great wine but young, slightly disappointing. Try again in 5 years time, given the soil it could become a beautiful elegant wine.
84p (potential 90p)
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12/05/88: Petrus 1978 (1850FF / 280€), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: beautiful, dark, young crimson; Nose: quite closed in the beginning, slowly opening up; Palate: a mouthful, nice tanins, excellent with cheese, quite young.
88p
After 1 hour : opens up, you can recognise the magic of Petrus and the Merlot.
90p
–
29/09/90: Petrus 1979 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: beautiful, dark, young crimson; Nose: deep and complex; Palate: leather in the beginning ! then tannins and fruit, concentrated and good balance.
90p
–
22/10/94: Petrus 1979 (magnum), franchise Araki, Kumamoto, Japan
Colour: dark red; Palate: soft, balanced, mouth filling, lots of fine fruit and tanins, nice length, great wine, still young and full of refinement, but also nice chewy fruit.
93p
–
22/06/94: Petrus 1979, Restaurant Coq Blanc with Barbro Ström, Stockholm, Sweden
Colour: dark red; Nose: clean, surprising Cabernet Franc taste; Palate: clean, strict, tightly woven, superb balanced feeling in the mouth.
90p
After 1 hour : 93p
Nose : After 2 hours : the Merlot comes through
Palate : After 2 hours : Soft, balanced, young fruit with tanins, but quite refined in the finish, neither fatty, nor powerful, but great class, finesse and balance.
93p
–
05/10/06: Petrus 1979 (1cm in the neck), with Noriko Nakamura, Tokyo, Japan
Nose: great Pomerol, Merlot, superb; Palate: great pleasure, balance, length, very complex, very nice bottle at its peak.
94p
–
22/5/87: Petrus 1979, Chambre de Commerce, Paris
Palate: rather Young, a great wine but not the concentration that I was expecting, however very good
87+p
–
04/04/89: Petrus 1979: Restaurant La Villa Lorraine, Brussels, Belgium
Palate: surprising class, concentrated, balanced, a great wine, complex but still quite closed.
93p
18/01/08: Petrus 1980, Restaurant Samaya with L. Devreux, Bali
NB : just been transported; Colour: a bit cloudy; Palate: excellent, pleasant, soft, long and quite complex fruit, nice balance
94p
–
19/10/07: Petrus 1980, Calenda, Aix en Provence
Nose: superb, ripe fruit; Palate: excellent, perfectly balanced, round and pleasant, fragrant, but is lacking a bit of complexity to make this an exceptional wine.
94p
19/01/94: Petrus 1980: Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Palate: very good, mouth filling, no volatility, quite a grainy feeling, nice balance and length.
90p
16/01/94: Petrus 1980, Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Nose : jammy red fruits with hints of wood; Palate: soft, full, textured fruit, but very balanced, quite plump, ripe with a very nice feeling in the mouth. As it was opened yesterday, it’s starting to become slightly volatile.
93p
–
15/01/94: Petrus 1980, Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Colour: nice red brick around the edges; Nose: very ripe, saturated fruit; Palate: concentration, Cabernet Franc, mouth filling, massive without being tanic, soft tanins, chewy fruit with balance.
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28/10/93: Petrus 1980, Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Nose: silky, nice wood, delicious fruit, a bit green, but nice wood, fruit and wood in good balance. This wine will be even better in 3-4 years, it will keep well with the concentration and the acidity and herbs that it possesses.
93p
–
28/10/93: Petrus 1980: Rue Hautefeuille, Paris
Colour: super bred, brick around the edges; Nose: red fruits, quite intense, vanilla, blueberries, some herbs; Palate: mouth filling, Cabernet Franc ? Soft tanins, also tanins on the teeth, massive taste which fills the mouth, slightly bitter and a massive tanic finish. Superb in the grainy category and massive.
95p
–
25/04/08 : Petrus 1980, Kojitani Petrus Tasting, Tokyo, Japan
NB : opened 1 hour before. Palate: soft, fragrant, round, at its peak, delicious, full and quite complex. Beautiful balance, ready to drink now.
93p
–
15/05/90: Petrus 1980, Restaurant Le Cellier, Nagoya, Japan
Colour: red, starts to show a bit of brick around the edges; Nose: almost resembles a Cabernet Franc; Palate: round, soft, very fragrant, very dry almost dusty tanins (like Mouton Rothschild 1986) with alot of concentrated fruit, very seducing, fantastic pleasure.
93p
–
17/03/87: Petrus 1980, with Jörn Person
Colour: quite dark, red, still young; Nose: grapes, young, promising; Palate: superb structure, young fruit, but nice to drink, nice length and concentration, but could improve by waiting another 2 years.
90p
–
23/10/86 : Petrus 1980, with Eva and Elling Ellingsen, London, UK
Nose: nice fragrance, loosely textured, nice tanins and fruit, excellent.
90p
–
23/09/86: Petrus 1980, Rue Sugère, Paris
Colour: Dark ruby; Nose: young, seductive and fruity; Palate: mouth filling, superb balance, flows in a balanced way from the beginning to the end, beautiful length, admirable performance in this vintage. As good as Haut Marbuzet 1982 (my favourite wine today), but with much more refinement structure and length.
93p
–
10/11/07: Petrus 1981, Calenda with Olivier & Sylvie Fatou, Aix en Provence
Palate: good, round, classic, finish slightly dry, a bit bitter, but pleasant, quite good balance, but not magical, maybe wait another 5 years.
88p (potential 90p in 5 years)
–
26/10/95 : Petrus 1981 (Magnum n°1), Vin sur Vin, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: red, quite clear; Nose: some wood, fruit, serious wine, quite refined; Palate: refined, great class, seems low in alcohol, nice tanins, nice fruit, but doesn’t seem to have ripened completely, seems a bit young.
After 2 hours : 87p
After 3 hours : 88p
–
26/10/95: Petrus 1981 (Magnum n°2), Vin sur Vin, Tokyo, Japan
Nose: a bit green, unripe; Palate: green, refined tanins, a little bit of fruit, quite open, nice body, but not that fragrant, refined, surprising, great wine.
After 3 hours : 97p
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25/04/08: Petrus 1981, Kojitani Petrus Tasting, Tokyo, Japan
NB: opened and decantered 2 hours before. Palate: excellent, this airing is necessary for this wine to soften and open up. Round a lot of energy, nice spicy nose, black fruit, still alot of tanins, but soft fruit.
92p, potential of 94p in 5 years.
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29/09/90: Petrus 1981 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: quite dark, slightly orange; Nose: suprisingly forward; Palate: quite Tough and tannic at the opening, concentrated and slightly acid which hides the fruit, quite long
90p
After two hours : 88p, opening up a bit, a little bit more complex
After three hours : 87p, lost a lot of fruit and has become dry and un-yielding, clearly too early to drink this wine
–
18/07/85: Petrus 1981, Paris
Colour: quite dark, but clear; Palate: great, has everything, structure, fruit and concentrated, soft and nice, maybe a bit thin.
90p
–
18/07/85: Petrus 1982, Paris
Nose: superbly fragrant, seducing, wet fur; Palate: fantastic, perfect structure, enormous fruit and very fragrant, charming, out of the ordinary, perfect.
100p
–
7/5/07: Petrus 1983, Restaurant Mas d’Entremont, Aix en Provence
Palate: ripe, good, noble, great length (but not as good as the 1979 tasted with Noriko Nakamura, Oct 2006).
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18/03/98: Petrus 1983 Magnum, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: concentrated, slightly harsh, but full in the mouth, quite balanced and long, has potential
87p (potential of 90p)
–
30/03/97: Petrus 1985 (bottle from château and estate, US importer), tasted at Mr Kishibe, Kyoto, Japan
Colour: a bit brick on the edges, centre is a clear red colour, quite light; Nose: very dense and jammy fruit, a bit of blueberries; Palate: soft, fine, great class, gracious and balanced, still a lot of soft tanins, very nice length, great pleasure, suprisingly very sweet but classy and dense, not that complex.
94p
–
22/06/00: Petrus 1986 (Bottle #1), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: balanced between tannins and fruit, dry but nice bottle, refined, nice length with refined tannins
92+p
–
22/06/00: Petrus 1986 (Bottle #2), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: good fruit and tannins, great potential
92+p
–
29/09/90: Petrus 1986 (magnum), Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: beautiful intense red, quite dark; Nose: fragrant, hints of wood, superbly seductive; Palate: tannic, balanced and concentrated, very long with an incredible refinement. I love these sliky, fine concetrated tannins !
93p
After half an hour : 95p
After one hour : 99p
After three hours : 91p
–
22/06/00: Petrus 1987 (Bottle #1), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: soft, fragrant and enjoyable, slightly bitter in the finish, but over-all nicely balanced
91p
–
22/06/00: Petrus 1987 (Bottle #2), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: fragrant, soft and pleasant, quite long, less bitter than bottle #1, this bottle still seems to have some way to go
90p, with a potential of 93p in a couple of years
13/04/99: Petrus 1987 (bottle #1), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: red, transparent, quite light and brick; Nose: very little fragrance; Palate: soft, a bit round, nice, but empty and fairly short, but pleasant to drink now
84p
13/04/99: Petrus 1987 (bottle #2), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Nose: a mix of cooked green vegetables; Palate: entry is soft and round, but then a bit thin and disappointing. Compared to bottle #1, this is lighter but better balanced, a finish of apple and also volatile
After half an hour : 84p
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25/06/05: Petrus 1987 (sample from the producer), Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Colour: excellent red brick colour; Nose: superb ripe and seducing; Palate: at the opening : nice, good fruit, but slightly bitter
After half an hour : very good, nice fruit at the entry, then soft and fine. Missing a bit of fruit just before the finish, but good balance. Not very complex, not very long, but excellent Merlot with class and balance. You have to take a mouthful to get enough to taste and savour the wine properly, so it’s not very intense, but very good and classy for a Merlot.
89p
–
08/09/97: Petrus 1987, Bistrot du Sommelier, Bordeaux
Colour: red, light, slightly orange; Palate: a bit disappointing at the opening, but balanced and pleasantly fragranced, not short, but I think it has to wait in the glass.
88p (potentially 90p)
–
25/03/97 : Petrus 1987, Bistrot du Sommelier with Mikaël Karis, Bordeaux
Colour: red, quite light and red brick around the edges; Palate: soft, round, ripe, easy and delicious, not very complex, a lunch wine, excellent, drink now !
90p
–
1/3/05: Petrus 1988 (bottle #1), Bank BNG, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Palate: powerful, excellent, full of fruit and tanins, great wine but quite tanic, needs another 5 years.
After 2 hours : 92p (potential 94p in 5 years)
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1/3/05: Petrus 1988 (bottle #2), Bank BNG, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Palate: A little bit tougher than bottle #1, more tanins, less fruit, the fragrance is quite restrained, but good.
After 2 hours : 90+p
–
1/3/05: Petrus 1988 (bottle #3), Bank BNG, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Palate: seems more diluted, only tanins and water, not very impressive.
87p
–
24/2/05: Petrus 1988, Sao Paulo with Mr Galvao, Brazil
NB: bottle has just been transported. Colour: very dark red; Nose: alcohol and intense fruit
Palate : thick, alcohol, alot of tanins and fruit, dense and powerful, mouth filling, the tanins are a bit harsh, but could easily age another 10 years.
90p
After 1 hour : 91p
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18/03/98: Petrus 1989 Magnum, Tasting La Vie Française at Restaurant Macéo, Paris
Palate: Nice fruit, but then right away a bit dry, not enough roundness because the wine needs more time, another 10 years, finish is a bit dry, not very pleasant
84p (potential 90+p)
–
13/04/99: Petrus 1993 (bottle #1), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Colour: beautiful dark with several shades; Nose: dense, but a bit green, not completely ripe; Palate: thick, concentrated, not completely ripe and young, tannic, peppery, slightly harsh but quite long, still too young, wait
80p (potential 90p)
–
13/04/99 : Petrus 1993 (bottle #2), Taillevent restaurant, Paris
Palate: maybe slightly softer ? but otherwise much the same. After an hour : still young, but more refined than bottle #1.
After one hour : 84p (potential 90p)
22/06/2000: Petrus 1994 (Magnum), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: quite open and pleasant, ripe with good volume of tannins and a nice length.
91+p
After one hour : dries out : 88+p
–
22/06/2000 : Petrus 1996 (Bottle #1), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: young, dense and tannic and quite long. After one hour: the wood shows through more, refined balanced and long, needs time.
90+p
After one hour : 92p, potential of 96p in ten years
–
22/06/2000: Petrus 1996 (Bottle #2), Tasting La Vie Française, Taillevent Restaurant, Paris
Palate: tannic and dense, a very young wine, opens up a bit after one hour, but should not be drunk before ten years.
90+p
After one hour : 94+p
–
21/3/97: Petrus 1989, La Ferme St Siméon, Normandy, France
Colour: red, almost black, superb layers leaving tears around the glass; Nose: red fruits, jammy, alcohol, stings slightly; Palate: concentrated, round, dense, young, but already quite drinkable. Quite alot of alcohol, a bit too much to be superb, but with age will probably balance out. Not at its peak yet, wait another 5-10 years, but a very very nice and long finish.
94+p
After 1 hour : 93p
After 1.5 hours : concentrated, but not what I would have expected, a little bit too much alcohol and not concentrated enough. I have the impression that they could have done better.
After two hours : you get bored due to the high alcohol content.
–
22/3/97: Petrus 1989, La Ferme St Siméon, Normandy, France
NB: bottle opened on 21/3/1989; Palate: soft, fruity, looser soft tanins nows, high alcohol which burns abit but a great pleasure. The question is, ca nit age well with all this alcohol ?
20 hours after opening on 21/3/1997 : 92p
–
6/2/94: Petrus 1989, Restaurant Y, Tokyo, Japan
Colour: black, but layered to the edges, magnificent; Palate: dense, full of everything one wants : fruit, tanins, still quite silky and very long
100p
–
25/7/90: Petrus 1988, at Petrus (straight from the barrel)
Palate: soft at the entry, pleasant, nice fruit, a bit of alcohol, cherries, some concentration, acidity which feels nice in the mouth.
93p
–
25/7/90: Petrus 1989, at Petrus (straight from the barrel)
Colour: dark red/blue; Nose: concentrated, discreet, hints of apple; Palate: alot of fruit, massive of tanins (like a Mouton 1986), superb length, tanins are less balanced than Mouton 1986. Mouth filling, but the tanins are a bit harsh and strip the palate 100%.
95+p
–
8/10/96: Petrus 1990, Château Mercian, Katsunoma, Japan / Mercian tasting with Mr Asahi & Mrs Arrissaka
NB: tasted blind; Colour: superb, very dark brick around the edges, nice fruit, concentrated and complex; Nose: full, nicely fills the mouth, intense and even a sensation of sweetness, fatty, concentrated and very long. Impressive structure which follows all through the finish, a hint of bitterness at the end of the finish. Fantastic.
93-96p
After 1 hour : 97p
–
25/10/91: Petrus 1990 (tasted straight from barrel) at Petrus with the Swedish Hans Thustrup Wine Group
Colour: black; Palate: very concentrated, very refined, tanins are subtle and silky, a cascade of different fragrances, superb, nice length, drinkable but very young.
95+p
–
2/7/05: Petrus 1992, Yvetot with Enou family, Normandy
NB: sample from owner; Palate: slightly austere fruit, finish is slightly bitter but classy.
After half an hour: more harmonious, nice Merlot, distinguished, good balance, good finish, round but still a bit austere. However, quite a pretty wine and a great pleasure. We drank it with joy, quite complex, but it’s clear that it’s a medium quality vintage, but still very good.
89p
After one hour : 91p
–
29/8/99: Petrus 1992, Restaurant Chinois with Drew Harré, Shibya, Japan
Colour: nice, dark red; Palate: quite dense, nice balance, full and fruity with a nice length
92p
–
13/3/97: Petrus 1992 , Tasting at Bolinderska Palatset, Stockholm, Sweden
NB: Comparative tasting arranged by Vin & Sprit Centralen between Petrus Valandraud and Le Pin; Colour: nice, clear dark red; Nose: ripe red fruit; Palate: nice and rich at the entry in through the mouth, round then some acid, finish a bit green, unripe. Very good, but young and doesn’t have enough fat.
85-89p
After 1 hour : pleasant and easy to drink
87-91p
–
13/3/97: Petrus 1993, Tasting at Bolinderska Palatset, Stockholm, Sweden
NB: Comparative tasting arranged by Vin & Sprit Centralen between Petrus Valandraud and Le Pin; Colour: red, black, superb; Nose: coffee, complex, fruits are very dense; Palate: superb body, fruit and tanins, all very refined, nice length, already drinkable with pleasure.
93-95p
After 1 hour : fragrant, very classy, but the tanins are a bit green in the finish and not yet integrated into the wine.
90+p
–
13/3/97: Petrus 1994, Tasting at Bolinderska Palatset, Stockholm, Sweden
NB: Comparative tasting arranged by Vin & Sprit Centralen between Petrus Valandraud and Le Pin; Colour: dark red; Nose: cherries, alcohol, vanilla, quite closed up; Palate : superb fruit, a lot of tanins. Does this wine have some botritys ? I can taste hints of Yquem in the mouth !!
89-92+p
After half an hour : 92-94+p
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15/5/96: Petrus 1995, Tasted at Château Petrus (straight from the barrel)
Colour: red, black, superb; Nose: dense, blueberries and alcohol; Palate: woody, concentrated, dense, full bodied, superb balance, not at all agressive despite its young age.
94-95p
–
6/5/07: Petrus 1997 (Magnum)
Young, woody and nice.
90+P
–
27/9/05: Petrus 1997, Chez Brunelle, Paris
Nose: nice fruit, but green; Palate: nice fruit, but green, a bit of wood, nice body, quite concentrated, but a bit disappointing, good but not superb.
88p
–
27/3/02: Petrus 1999, Restaurant La Toupina with Jouhannaud & Mr Auby, Bordeaux
Colour: red, very dark, almost black; Nose: ripe, complex, saturated with fruit; Palate: concentrated, jammy a lot of fruit, complex with some oak. Soft tanins, but also some are harsher which haven’t yet softened up. Really a great pleasure, easy to drink, despite its extreme youth. Superb.
97p (potential 100p)
–
28/3/01: Petrus 2000, Chez Les Cohen, Saint Emilion
NB: sample from the barrel; Colour: very dark red; Nose: young, dense red/black fruits; Palate: concentrated, a bit rough, full of fruit, a bit exotic, nice acidity, jammy, tanins are a bit thin in the finish and brutal acidity.
92+p
–
15/11/01: Petrus 2000, at Château Petrus (straight from the barrel) with Vins Rares team
Colour: very dark red; Nose: superb, ripe fruit, jammy, completely balanced; Palate: round, oak flavour, caramel, superb fruit, soft tanins, fantastic length. Has softened considerably since March 2001. Does not have the density of the 1990, is less outgoing.