A youthful, very fresh Pétrus, with lively black olive character and an expansive, powerful mouthfeel. Very ripe fruit flavors. This will continue to improve with age, but it's perfect to drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 1953 Petrus constitutes one of the more underwhelming wines of an extraordinary vertical. It has quite a formidable reputation but it does not deliver. The bouquet is attractive with scents of fireside hearth and chestnut infusing the red fruit, yet it is not imbued with the panache or breeding of the 1949 Petrus served alongside. With aeration it develops a subtle algae-like aroma (actually a scent I am partial towards.) The palate is fresh and clear with a core of red berry fruit infused with cedar and bay leaf scents. It does not fan out towards the finish and feels as if it is running out of puff with age, something that I have found with many Bordeaux born this year. It just tapers towards the finish as if to say: That’s your lot Sonny Jim. It represents a good but not great Petrus compared to the superior 1949, 1950 or 1955. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 91 VMA Medoc-like nose offers subtle, restrained, menthol, blackcurrant, and caramel-scented aromas. Medium-bodied, with politely elegant, sweet flavors, and a rich, well-balanced finish, this is one of the most restrained and subtle Petrus offerings I have tasted. The wine is in excellent condition and should last for another decade.Robert M. Parker, Jr. | 90 RP
