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The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGA sleeping giant. Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of blackberry, cèpe and green olive, with a hint of mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a supercaressing mouthfeel. Turns to coffee, dark chocolate and berry. Chewy yet balanced. Very, very long in the mouth. The finish is absolutely breathtaking. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 100 WSAs so often, Pétrus has the ability to charm and impress, to seduce and overwhelm. This 2005, one of the greatest vintages from this great chateau, is massive and concentrated, with flavors of ripe black figs, chocolate and dark plums. Put that all together and the result is the utmost deliciousness, freshness and elegance. A major wine.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEOffering pure black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, the inky ruby/purple 2005 Petrus is still very young and unyielding, but super-concentrated, powerful, full-bodied and primordial. It is much more backward than the likes of Lafleur, Trotanoy or Hosanna. Nevertheless, it is super-rich, extracted, beautifully balanced and pure. Forget it for another 10-15 years, and drink it over the following half-century. This may well be among the longest-lived wines of 2005.Robert Parker | 97+ RP

It is hard to call Petrus a “sleeper of the vintage,” but the 2008 will merit more attention than most consumers would think. Low yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare resulted in only 25,000 bottles of this beauty. A wine of great intensity (possibly the most concentrated wine of the vintage), this 100% Merlot boasts a dark purple color as well as a sweet perfume of mocha, caramel, black cherries, black currants, earth and forest floor. Deep, unctuously textured, full-bodied and pure, it will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and should drink well for 25-30+ years.Robert Parker | 97 RPGorgeous, smooth wine, perhaps even more intense than in past vintages. The tannins are totally enveloped by the ripe plum and damson fruits. Complex, powerful, layered and opulent, this is a wine for the long term.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2008 Pétrus has a classic Pomerol nose, perhaps darker fruit than other vintages, blackberry and briary, a touch of truffle and minerals. I love the definition here, the cool restraint. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a fine bead of acidity, chalky and tensile with moderate depth. There is a sense of composure, maybe even conservatism attached to this Pétrus that sports a mineral-driven and (at least for this Pomerol) almost austere finish compared to the 2009 or 2010. But it is a lovely wine that is only just beginning to open. Haunting. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 96 VMTight and firm, yet with incredibly embracing tannins that are still in their early phase of evolution, even though it is 100% Merlot. It’s a trick that basically nobody else in Pomerol can pull off to quite this extent. Some liquorice kicks through, along with dark plum and blackberry fruits, touches of white pepper and coffee bean. Extremely enjoyable and still extremely young. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 96 DECThere’s so much floral and berry character on the nose and palate here. It’s full-bodied and very dense with lots of fine and delicate tannins. Winemaker Oliver Berrouet calls it a classic Bordeaux in style and I have to agree with him because of the fine tannins, fresh acidity, and beautiful reserve fruit. Lovely sweet berry and chocolate finish to the wine.Try in in five to six years.James Suckling | 94 JSThis has texture and range that’s a step up from the pack, with a gorgeous, silky feel to the ripe but restrained cherry, raspberry and damson plum notes that are layered with hints of black tea, incense and mineral. The long finish is more about poise than power. Lovely. Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Fine colour. Really quite closed on the nose: even more so than the Richebourg. Lovely perfumed cassis nose. A big, backward, quite tannic wine with excellent grip. More austere than the Richbourg. But it has even more depth and intensity. Very lovely.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is still a decade away from the plenitude of maturity, but it’s already a head-turning wine, soaring from the glass with an extravagant bouquet of rose petal, Asian spices, grilled meats, rock salt, espresso roast, rich soil tones, plums and dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and richly structured around fine-grained chalky tannins, with a deep and multidimensional core and succulent underlying acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. This is an utterly classic La Tâche that ranks among the vintage’s high points.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most ethereal of the three wines in this flight. Whole cluster influence is especially marked here. A whole range of spice, dried flower, mint and savory overtones infuse the 2009 with layers of nuance. Next to the other wines in this flight, La Tâche is ethereal and harder to fully capture with words, an attribute many, if not most, of the world’s greatest wines share.Vinous Media | 98 VM(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) A discreet but incredibly complex nose features notes of spicy, pure and relatively high-toned fruit that is laced with plenty of rose petal and violet hints. There is excellent energy and freshness to the lacy and stunningly precise broad-scaled flavors that build in intensity from the densely concentrated mid-palate to the explosive and mouth coating finish that seemingly goes on without end. This is a big LT with ample muscle and very firm but not aggressive structure along with superb depth of underlying material and positively mind-blowing length. But the real genius of this wine is the Zen-like harmony and poise though note that it is very tightly wound and will need many years of cellaring before it will be completely ready. In a word, magnificent. (Drink starting 2034).Burghound | 98 BHNoticeably oaky and darker than its siblings, evoking black cherry, licorice and spice. On the palate, there’s depth and concentration, with a menthol note that persists through the long finish. The mouthcoating tannins will require some time to integrate.--Non-blind 2009 DRC tasting (February 2012). Best from 2016 through 2042.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

(Château Pétrus) The 2011 Pétrus is another utterly magical example of the vintage that will take plenty of cellaring before it fully blossoms, but will eventually outpace the more powerful 2010 at this estate. Olivier Berrouet commented that “with the 2011 having between ten and fifteen percent more tannins than the 2010, its elevage in new oak will be shorter this year as a result.” The team at Pétrus emphasized that “this was a vintage to restrain oneself in the vineyards and do nothing, so that the vines that were already suffering from the hydric stress would not be further shocked by any human intervention.” The wine has turned out brilliantly and will be a classic in fifteen or twenty years, as it offers up a deep and intense nose of black plums, black cherries, raw cocoa, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil, a touch of fresh herbs and a very suave and understated base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and impressively opulent in the mid-palate, with great focus and balance, ripe, substantial tannins and very long, pure, primary and perfectly balanced finish. A great Pétrus in the making. (Drink between 2030-2100).John Gilman | 97 JGThis extravagantly perfumed wine has great juicy, ripe fruits. The tannic structure is almost secondary in the welter of ripe fruits, but it is enough to promise aging. Acidity and rich fruitiness partner each other to give a wine that is both fresh and powerful. Drink from 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA dense ruby/purple-tinged color and restrained but intriguing aromas of kirsch, raspberry jam, wood spice, and mulberries are found in this full-bodied Petrus. An undeniable success in 2011, it is rich, layered and pure with light to moderate tannin, but seems slightly less muscular and tannic compared to its stablemate, Trotanoy. Forget it for a few years and drink it over the following 25 years. Made from 100% Merlot, it tips the scales at 13.5% alcohol. In short, it is typically open-knit and already showing very well. This is quite opulent.Robert Parker | 95 RPThis is tight and firm, with blueberry and blackberry character, and hints of sweet tobacco. Some wet earth, too. Black olives. Full body and very tight, with ultra-fine tannins and a fresh finish. Powerful and muscular. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2011 Petrus has plenty of fruit on the nose, elegant and floral, redcurrant and raspberry fruit, a touch of crushed stone and pressed rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with a rich and quite extravagant style of the finish, lightly spiced with a rounded, velvety-smooth and quite dense finish. Maybe it just conveys a little more winemaking that the terroir at the moment? Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis sports sweet spice, bitter cherry and light briar notes, with lively, pebbly tannins guiding the finish. Slightly high-pitched notes of blood orange and red currant fill in as well. Delivers range and length, yet lacks the depth of the top wines in this vintage. Best from 2015 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This shows fabulous length with a chocolate, berry and mineral undertone. Licorice and currants too. Full body yet refined with seamless tannins. Goes on for minutes. It shows such amazing length and elegance. Depth. Phenomenal structure here, especially for the vintage. Reminds me of the 1998 or 1971, which were structured yet very fine.James Suckling | 98 JSAnother great wine from Pétrus, this has enormous depths without losing any of the fruit or freshness of Merlot in 2012. It's massive while also elegant, weighty, richly full-bodied and also structured. At this stage the wine does show some signs of wood aging, which will diminish as it ages. The fruitiness is deceptive because this wine demands aging. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEOne of the stars of the vintage, the wine (100% Merlot) has exceptional concentration, stunning purity, an inky purple color and a broad, expansive mouthfeel. Not a bit heavy, cloying or overwrought, this is a stunning Petrus (licorice, blackcurrants and truffles dominate) that will probably hit full maturity in 8-10 years and last 25-35. Another great example of this mythical wine that few can afford, virtually no one drinks, but everyone talks about! Relatively high in alcohol at 14.5%, the crop was tiny because of the spring’s poor flowering in this sector of Pomerol.Robert Parker | 96+ RP(Château Pétrus) The 2012 Château Pétrus is a stunning young wine and everyone on the team seemed to be in a very happy mood with the quality of the vintage here. The tasting took place in the new chais, as the tasting room is still under construction, and the tasting was notable for the relaxed and friendly atmosphere- which was in notable contrast to the almost monastic, reverential mood of past years here (as well as at most of the other First Growths). The harvest at Pétrus started on September 24th, only to see the rain arrive the next day, which suspended the picking until the 1st of October, with all the remaining grapes being collected over the next week. The wine is cool, pure and wonderfully suave, which totally belies its 14.5 percent alcohol, as I would have guessed this wine to be in the 13.2 to 13.5 percent range. The bouquet is deep, primary and very refined, wafting from the glass in a mix of plums, black cherries, dark soil tones, cigar smoke, espresso and a gentle touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and potentially very velvety, with a superb core, ripe, seamless tannins and superb focus and grip on the very long and classic finish. This may evolve along the lines of the 1985 Pétrus, but it may possess even a bit more stuffing and land at a higher level when all is said and done. A superb wine. (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 96 JGThis has some serious muscle, with rivets of graphite studding a beam of dense, gravelly grip that holds the core of steeped plum and raspberry notes together. Very long, with superior cut. A graphite note powers through the finish, while the fruit drips on and on. Best from 2018 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WSOne of the stars this year. Ripe, seductive nose with blackcurrant, blackberry and liquorish notes. Shows upfront charm but the palate has power, depth and distinction. Rounded tannins. Superb length. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECA dark, hulking beauty, the 2012 Pétrus is utterly beguiling. For the year, the Pétrus boasts remarkable density and pure power. Spice, leather, cedar and tobacco wrap around a core of intense, super-ripe fruit. Bad weather during flowering lowered potential yields and resulted in a firm, powerful Pétrus that is going to need time to blossom. I imagine the 2012 will still be a pretty special wine at age forty.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AG

A wine evincing true enlightenment. It’s floral on the nose and also shows blackberries, stones, minerals and cedar. Full-bodied, yet its so fine-grained and tight. So, so long. It builds like a waterfall on the finish. The tannins are powerful yet superbly integrated and harmonious. Needs four to five years in bottle. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThis has lush, fleshy layers of blackberry, fig and black currant confiture rumbling through, pushed by notes of charcoal and warm tobacco leaf. Ganache hints fill in on the finish. Bass-driven, with a serious knot of tannins that have yet to stretch out, but the core of fruit is way too serious to doubt. Best from 2020 through 2035. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Petrus, Pomerol, Red) Former winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet likens the growing season to 1978. But 60hl/ha then; 30hl/ha today. Classical and fine with the Merlot providing a Cabernet-like presentation of tannin. Very natural and unforced. Lovely texture and fruit. Persistent finish.Decanter | 95 DECThe wine is a velvet glove in an iron fist. The smooth surface of ripe fruits and rich blackberry flavors, masks the dense tannins that will allow this very great wine to age for many, many years. The acidity and the rich fruit combine with the fine dusty tannins. The wine will surely not be ready to drink before 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2014 Petrus was tasted on the same morning as the 2014 Vieux-Château-Certan and though they are built from different blends, their personalities are quite similar. This is a succinct, not powerful, much more refined and discrete bouquet, gradually unfurling and revealing a subtle sea spray/marine element. The palate is again quite discrete at first and unfolds at a glacial pace. It is beautifully balanced with fine tannin, quite linear and structured, gently building towards a finish that has wonderful salinity (continuing that marine theme). Note: I actually returned to taste this several hours later, because it was so closed earlier on and it did finally open, which is atypical for this Pomerol. It is a wonderful Petrus, but one that will deserve bottle age and decanting.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMThe 2014 Petrus has a bouquet that storms from the glass with exotic red cherries, blood orange, strawberry tart and cedar scents, only calming down after several minutes. Rich and opulent – although they are not facets of a truly great Petrus to me. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet core of candied red fruit, fine structure, a 2014 that is letting it all hang out so soon after bottling, which causes me some concern in terms of what it has left in reserve for long-term ageing and evolution. It just does not deliver a knockout blow on the slightly brittle finish, completing a very good Pomerol but in my opinion, it is not the greatest Petrus in recent years. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM

On another level and one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted, the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot raised in new oak. It takes the classic elegance and class of Lafite and turns the dial up to 11, offering a massive, heavenly array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, graphite, tobacco, and incense aromas and flavors that soar from the glass. Deep, full-bodied, and flawlessly constructed, with perfectly integrated fruit, acidity, and tannins, this is legendary stuff all the way. It will be drinkable in 7-8 years and keep for 50-75 years or more. Along with Mouton, it’s the wine of the vintage from the Médoc. Hats off to director Eric Kohler.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDWhat I love about the 2016 Lafite is that the sweetness of the fruit comes through even at this early stage. Sweet, ripe blackberry and cassis pulse through the palate behind the tight construction of tension and classicism given by high acidity and plenty of tannins. It has ripeness and a sense of promise but, as is often the case with a young Lafite, it’s not giving a lot away and we can expect it to age for many decades perfectly comfortably. Extremely accomplished, one to cherish. Matured in 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2028 - 2040.Decanter | 100 DECIncredible aromas of crushed berries, sweet tobacco and wet earth. So perfumed and gorgeous. Hot stones and cement, too. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of intense tannins and a never ending finish. Juicy and flavorful. A muscular Lafite, not seen for a long time. Classssssss! Try after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2016 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries and warm blackcurrants with underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice and pencil lead plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied and built like a brick house with a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone and seamless freshness supporting the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers, it finishes very long and provocatively perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a total stunner. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. Once again, I am blown away by the inner sweetness and purity of the fruit. The 2016 is, rich, concentrated and yet also light on its feet, in the way only Lafite can be. Dramatic and ample the 2016 Lafite is a beautifully resonant, super-expressive wine endowed with regal beauty and tremendous overall balance. It will drink well for many years and decades.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGAlmost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine beautifully sums up the density and the richness of this variety in Pauillac. It is impressive, made even more so in this vintage by the ripeness of the tannins, the beautiful, plush fruit and enormous promise. Drink this wine from 2026. Its aging potential is enormous.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThis offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the rigid structure. The two sides meld, pulling in extra sweet tobacco, smoldering cast iron, juniper and savory notes on the finish, leaving a mouthwatering feel. A real stunner. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WS

Composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild has an opaque garnet-purple color. WOW—the nose explodes from the glass with powerful blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries, blueberry pie and melted chocolate notions, plus suggestions of aniseed, camphor, lifted kirsch and the faintest waft of a subtle floral perfume in the background. Full-bodied, concentrated, bold and totally seductive in the mouth, it has very fine-grained, silt-like tannins, while jam-packed with tightly wound fruit layers, finishing in this wonderful array of mineral sparks. Magic.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won’t be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Tecnical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGAlong with the Château Lafite, the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild is the wine of the vintage from the Médoc and is a truly profound, magical, blockbuster wine in every sense. It’s based on 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in new French oak. Boasting a saturated purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of thick black fruits, lead pencil shavings, new saddle leather, and burning embers, with just a hint of its oak upbringing, this beauty hits the palate with a mammoth amount of fruit and texture yet stays fresh, pure, and light on its feet, with a thrilling sense of minerality as well as building tannins on the finish. It’s one of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted, and while it will probably keep for three-quarters of a decade, it offers pleasure even today. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDDark ruby, purple color. Aromas of blackcurrants, black truffle, crushed stone, licorice and hints of tar. Full-bodied, deep and vertical on the palate, drawing you in and down. The structure is very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are folded into the wine. One of the most powerful Moutons ever for me. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 100 JSA higher level of acidity than is usual for Mouton is buttressed by waves of fruit and tannin. It’s a modern take on 1986 that shows the most wonderful precision of creme caramel, liquorice, blackcurrant, creme de cassis and cedar. it’s opulent but also has great tension through the palate - a monumental Mouton that for me has gained in stature over the past two years of ageing. The idea of a drinking window almost feels like a mirage - the perfect moment is likely to recede into the distance time and time again. It could be drunk in the next decade perhaps, but it’s going to take 20 years or more to really get into its stride. Easily one of the wines of the vintage, for me this is showing even better than during en primeur. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. Drinking Window 2028 - 2045.Decanter | 99 DECA generous, pure and lush ball of Cabernet, with wave after wave of unadulterated cassis and blackberry puree flavors rolling through. Features notes of roasted apple wood and sweet tobacco, offset by a long tug of sweet earth, but that’s all background music to the impressive core of fruit, which steams along like a cruise ship with enough stores in reserve to go around the world twice without stopping. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe rich fruit in this wine nearly envelops the tannins. Flavors of black plums, blackberries and blueberries meld with intense acidity to mask the power and concentration of the polished tannins. With this structure, will age for many, many years. Do not drink before 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Petrus comes galloping out of the glass with bold, expressive notions of Black Forest cake, blueberry preserves and Christmas pudding with nuances of molten chocolate, Chinese five spice, candied violets, licorice and kirsch plus wafts of roses and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and fantastically concentrated, the palate has compelling freshness and a solid base of wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins, finishing very long and opulent. The aromatics at this youthful stage are atypical for Petrus and quite stunning—this 2017 is a bombshell! Furthermore, it is a unique style for this estate and one avid collectors should seek out!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis delivers a torrent of pure, unadulterated raspberry fruit that extends effortlessly through the finish, while hints of incense, mineral and rooibos tea glisten tantalizingly throughout. Shows terrific cut and precision, with eye-catching detail. Drink now through 2040.Wine Spectator | 98 WSI love the aromatics to this with crushed berries, violets and black olives. Hints of vanilla and some caramel. Decadent. Full-bodied and round with very creamy tannins that melt into the wine. It starts off slowly and and then kicks off a few seconds later. The tannins are extremely polished and refined. Hard not to drink now, but wait. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSJammy ripe fruit aromas lead to a wine that is powerfully structured and solid. With rich berry flavors and density, the wine is concentrated while also exuberant. The flavors are just developing, with great ripe fruits showing strongly. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDeceptively alluring a few months after bottling, the 2017 Petrus is attractive and nuanced, and yet I get the impression it is going through a rather awkward stage. Floral and blood orange overtones add freshness and inner perfume to a Petrus that will age more on finesse than power. Olivier Berrouet opted for longer skin contact than normal, about 30 days, with pumpovers of one volume of wine per day at the beginning of fermentation. Malolactic fermentation took place in steel. The 2017 spent about 14 months in oak and then four months in tank prior to being bottled in July 2019.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGThe 2017 Chateau Petrus is, as always, 100% Merlot that’s from the top of the Pomerol plateau. The 2017 is an incredibly elegant, perfumed example from this estate that has terrific cassis, raspberry, and red currants fruits as well as lots of floral and violet hints, medium to full body, a beautiful spine of acidity, and building tannins. It’s not a blockbuster like the 2015 and 2016, yet it’s flawlessly balanced, with stunning purity of fruit and a great, great finish. Give bottles a solid 7-8 years, and it should keep for 20-25+.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The 2019 Château Pétrus is a behemoth, and I can’t imagine a better marriage of sexy, opulent fruit with purity, precision, and length. Always all Merlot from a single parcel of clay soils, it takes time to unwind in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and offers a powerful, primordial style in its black cherries, mulberries, smoked tobacco, damp earth, and chocolate, as well as a beautiful floral component that emerges with air. Dense, concentrated, and incredibly rich on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional mouthfeel and sweet yet substantial tannins. Despite plenty of glycerin and opulence on the palate, which certainly makes it fun to taste today, it has a very straight, classic feel that will demand bottle age. It probably needs to be forgotten for 8-10 years and will deliver the goods over the following 50 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOlivier Berrouet turned out a fabulous Petrus in 2019. A gorgeous, expansive wine, the 2019 opens beautifully over time. There is a feeling of radiance in the 2019 that is impossible to miss. Hints of rose petal, lavender, mint and cinnamon meld effortlessly into a core of red/purplish fruit. At 14.8%, the alcohol is high, but not intrusive. "We worked very hard to extract as gently as possible," Berrouet explained. Readers lucky enough to own the 2019 should plan on cellaring it for a decade or more.Vinous Media | 98 VMA seductive and sensual nose full of ripe and sweetly-perfumed cherry and blackcurrant notes - which are even more expressive and abundant after an hour in the glass. This is such a beguiling wine, changing in texture and fruit profile several times from a first sip of smooth and streamlined, chalky tannins to one filled with bright acidity and succulent juiciness then shifting another gear delivering a palate full of concentrated dark fruits edged with liquorice and black pepper. The tannins are abundant and clearly present, Olivier Berrout director of Petrus says he’s never produced a vintage with such high tannins, but they are wonderfully consistent and well integrated with a lovely powdery element to them. You really feel the structure develop in the mouth, building in complexity and layers with a beautiful perfume and wet stone minerality lingering on the long finish. You have to wait for the reticence and reservation of Petrus in its youth to subside before you see the power and energy here but it’s giving a tantalising glimpse of what its long life holds in store.Decanter | 98 DECGorgeous, offering a pure, concentrated beam of raspberry and boysenberry puree that drives through, with mouthwatering anise, black tea and apple wood accents and a perfectly embedded graphite spine. Features fruit that just won’t quit, picking up extra energy from a savory thread as it moves through. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2019 Pétrus is a powerful, heady wine, bursting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cassis, violets, spices, licorice and kirsch. Full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the liqueured finish, it’s a ripe, high-octane Petrus that reflects the influence of a dry, warm growing season on what is essentially a single cépage (Merlot) and a single soil type (clay).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP