PETRUS 2005

A sleeping giant. Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of blackberry, c'pe 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.

The Petrus 2005 might not be the cheapest wine that has ever been made, but if somebody else is paying it will blow you away. Unsurprisingly, it is bestowed with a more nuanced bouquet than the Le Pin ’05. It is beautifully defined, crystalline, with vibrant red berry fruit, minerals, iris and smoke. This is utterly profound. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, slightly savoury fruit with an iron-rich finish. There is amazing persistence here, a Petrus that has finally decided to join the ranks of the great vintages from this Pomerol estate such as the 1970, 1989 and 1998. Sensational, seductive and serious.

Offering 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.