PETRUS 2020

The 2020 Petrus is limpid purple in color. It has a classic bouquet with a distinct marine influence, offering hints of shucked oyster shell married with extraordinarily pure black fruit and a touch of pressed iris flower, all focused and very controlled (perhaps more so than other vintages). Loamy scents percolate through with time. The palate makes an instant impression in terms of intensity, vibrancy and focus. The tannins grip the mouth but do not overwhelm, and they become ever more refined with aeration. This is a symmetrical Petrus that brushes off the extremities of the growing season, maintaining that initial marine theme. There is a magnificent crescendo as it fans out gloriously on the finish, gaining flesh and salinity. The 2020 demands attention and should age magnificently in bottle.

As I observed to Olivier Berrouet, it's hardly very original to find a wine critic extolling the virtues of this Pomerol reference point; and yet, whether one likes it or not, there's no denying that the 2020 Pétrus is a brilliant achievement and indeed one of the very finest vintages at this address over the last two decades. Unwinding in the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of exotic spices, violets and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with huge depth at the core, exquisitely refined tannins and a youthfully reserved, even restrained profile despite its power and size. This serious, classically proportioned Pétrus is a monument in the making.