1999 Château Petrus
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Tasting notes
The 1999 Petrus was made by Jean-Claude Berrouet (his son Olivier was training at Haut-Brion at the time) and harvest was in early September. This has the best aromatics of any Pomerol that I have tasted alongside Lafleur, featuring lovely red berry fruit and black truffle, almost Burgundian in style and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of freshness and definition, touches of black truffle and sage infusing the red fruit. Perhaps the limitations of the growing season impinge upon the finish, which feels a little conservative in style, but this still ranks among the better Pomerols of the vintage. “Fine and delicate,” Oliver Berrouet remarked during the tasting, and I concur. Tasted from an ex- château bottle at the estate.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1999 Petrus "is serviceable but shrinks like a violet" – the words taken from my Pomerol tome. Of three or four bottles tasted it has a decent wild strawberry and balsamic-tinged bouquet whilst the palate initially conveys some sensuality, quite elegant and fans out nicely. I admire many Pomerol wines in this off-vintage, although in this year I believe that Lafleur made a better wine. Taken from the "Pomerol" book.
Very rich and spicy, this wine earns its special status in this vintage. Gloriously concentrated and hedonistic. Long and rich – very well done. Huge pleasure promised. (JR)
Very deep crimson. Complete, well-integrated nose. Very firm structure indicated in this spicy nose. Just very, very slightly austere – less rich than the 2000 – with a note of heat on the finish. A bit of inkiness. Not the most generous. Definitely aromatic. Some meatiness. Almost St-Emilion-like (JR)
About the producer
Ask any wine-lover to name the world’s greatest fine wines, and the answer will invariably include Pétrus.