What is it like to drink Chateau Petrus, one of the most iconic and most expensive wines in the world?
First, let’s talk about the wine and why it is so special.
Chateau Petrus is named after St. Peter (Petrus meaning “rock" in Greek). During the warmer months, the soil at Chateau Petrus dries and becomes as hard as a rock.
Chateau Pétrus is located in the Pomerol region, a famous wine region located on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. The wine is made with 100 per cent Merlot grapes and its history dates back to 1770.
The Moueix family, its current owner, became the exclusive agent for the winery after the Second World War and eventually bought all the shares of the chateau in 1964 under the company Group Duclot.
Current winemaker Oliver Berrouet has been with the chateau since 2008, taking over from his father. So, the same ownership and wine-making team has produced Chateau Petrus since the 1960s.
Chateau Petrus is located on top of a 49-acre island mound called the Pétrus buttonhole. All of Pétrus' vineyard has subsoil high in iron-rich blue clay.
This clay is at least 40 million years old. It is so hard that the roots cannot penetrate, so the vines grow sideways to find nutrition.
It is believed that when vines are struggling to find nutrition, the grapes grown produce more complex wines. This vineyard has the largest amount of blue clay in the world. Its soil creates grapes with the highest level of tannins in the Pomerol region, while also creating tannins that are soft in texture.
Chateau Petrus has both strong tannins and the softness that is characteristic of the Merlot grape. Less than 3,000 of Petrus is produced each year. The grapes are hand-harvested over two to three days. The wine is aged between 12 and 16 months in oak barrels, with 50 per cent being new.
During the most recent release of Bordeaux wines at BC Liquor Stores in September 2023, a bottle of 2020 Chateau Petrus was selling for $3,900 a bottle. Every bottle that was available in B.C. was sold out on the first day.
What does Chateau Petrus taste like? I have been fortunate to have some very generous friends who have shared Chateau Petrus with me over the years. Recently, I had the good fortune of drinking a bottle of 1998 Chateau Petrus.
To me, Petrus is unique because it has a glycerol taste that is both sweet and slightly bitter. It has a softness which makes the wine alluring and enticing, with a silky, earthy aftertaste. The wine is so balanced and fragrant, and it continually evolves in the glass. For more about the wine, see my review by clicking here.
Is the wine worth it?
I always say that with any high-priced item in this world, value is in the eye of the beholder. Whether a nice bottle of scotch, the latest iPhone, a painting or tickets to a Taylor Swift concert is worth it depends on what interests you and whether you have the means to pay for that item.
But all I can say is that if you ever have an opportunity to taste Chateau Petrus, do not pass it up.
Until next time, happy drinking!
Tony Kwan is a Richmond News columnist. Lawyer by day, and a food and wine lover by night. Kwan is an epicurean who writes about wine, food and enjoying all that life has to offer.
