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Petrus

Is Petrus today the most famous estate in Bordeaux? If this is so it would hardly be surprising; Petrus is one of a trio of right bank wines, the others being Le Pin and Ausone, which now sell at astronomical prices, typically thousands of pounds, dollars or euros per case if not per bottle, and when you are expensive you can also be newsworthy. I suspect such widespread knowledge of the wine is largely vicarious; indeed, as Clive Coates wrote in Grands Vins (University of California Press, 1995), "Many of the top wines of Pomerol, I suspect, are known more by their reputation than by actual tasting experience". In the case of Petrus such knowledge is I imagine more often than not based on occasional tabloid news reports of expensive dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants as traders and bankers blow their recently acquired bonuses in the most conspicuous fashion possible. Such dinners frequently seem to include Petrus, usually squeezed between the vintage Krug and the Yquem; this particular Pomerol has, in circles devoted to conspicuous consumption at least, become something of an icon.

And yet in the mid-20th century, just a few decades ago, Petrus was a little known estate in an appellation regarded as a minor satellite of St Emilion; the wines were sometimes difficult to sell, and the prices were low. It has been a meteoric rise to stardom under the tenure first of Madame Edmond Loubat, and then the Moueix family, for this modern-day prince of Pomerol. But this is very recent history, and the Petrus story begins at least a century earlier.

Petrus: Arnaud, Loubat, Lacoste & Moueix

The oldest reference to the Petrus estate comes in the early years of the 19th century, long after most Médoc estates sprang into life, and certainly lagging far behind those of nearby St Emilion, a number of which have Roman origins. The origins of Petrus are probably not quite so ancient, although they are certainly a little mysterious. The name itself refers to St Peter, who makes clear his allegiance to the estate by appearing on the label, equipped with the keys to the Pearly Gates - or to the cellars at Petrus, perhaps. Why this name should be chosen is unknown, although as some very old vintages are labelled as Petrus-Arnaud, the latter half of this pairing being the family name of some 19th-century proprietors, it is plausible that Petrus was the name of a previous owner. When reference to Petrus was first made the leading estate appears to have been, if the price of the wine is any way to judge, Vieux Château Certan. Close behind, however, came a number of estates very well known today, including Trotanoy, La Conseillante and Petit-Village. Petrus, at this time in the hands of the aforementioned Arnaud family, was another one of this number. As the reputation of the appellation grew it was the trio of Vieux Château Certan, Trotanoy and Petrus that came to define themselves as appellation leaders, a Pomerol trinity so to speak. The wines sold at higher prices than their peers, although at a similar price to lesser growths on the left bank, an illustration of how Pomerol was perceived to be minor appellation.

It was during the early 20th century, particularly between the two World Wars, that Petrus broke away from the rest of the pack. Having been incorporated by the Arnauds with the creation of La Société Civile du Château Petrus, Pomerol's leading domaine now began to come into the ownership of Madame Edmond Loubat, who acquired shares in a piecemeal fashion, eventually becoming the sole owner by the end of World War II. Loubat managed and marketed the estate with the help of a family who, during the years that have since passed, have proved themselves to be a part of the Petrus story, if not the central plot. Indeed, in time, they came to own it; the family in question was named Moueix.

Jean-Pierre Moueix and his son and grandson, Christian and Edouard, are surely some of the most important names in the story of not just Petrus but Pomerol as a whole. The Moueix dynasty started with Jean-Pierre's father Jean, who was originally from farming stock, from Corrèze, but who had settled in Paris with his wife Anne-Adèle Monange, where they had set up a successful chain of shops selling dairy produce. But having seen his brother Antoine purchase Château Taillefer in 1923, Jean decided that there was more to life than selling cheese; he and his betrothed purchased Château Fonroque and then settled at the estate. But this was perhaps a bad time to buy; economic depression during the post-war years meant that the wine was difficult to sell. It was against this backdrop of hard times that their son, Jean-Pierre Moueix, unable to find a buyer for their wine and clearly deciding strength came with diversification, established Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix. Through this business he traded in other wines, and the company flourished. Today Jean's château is still home to a Moueix, but any fan of the right bank appellations will think first, upon hearing this distinctive name, of the quay-side business of Jean-Pierre's descendents, Christian and Edouard, before they think of Alain Moueix at Fonroque.. Together the father-and-son team own, market or manage some of the most significant names in Pomerol.

Madame Loubat's faith in her vineyard and her wine meant that prices rose; every reference to her that I have seen mentions this part of her character. The Telegraph obituary of Jean-Pierre Moueix, who died in 2003, penned by Nicholas Faith, describes her determination "not to allow her wines at under the - then exorbitant - value she placed on them", or as the Times (and a very similar article in the Scotsman) put it, writing on the same sad occasion, "she never made the mistake of underestimating the value of her product". That's three obituaries in British newspapers for a French négociant none of which could avoid touching on his dealings with Loubat and Petrus - as I wrote above, Petrus is newsworthy. Despite the high price merchants, most notably the UK merchant Ronald Avery, bought her wine, and I would suppose they must have managed to sell it too. Much of this side of the business was naturally handled by Jean-Pierre Moueix, or JPM as he was sometimes known, and Moueix and Loubat formed a formidable friendship. When the latter died without issue in 1961 it was perhaps only natural that Moueix should inherit a share of the estate. What was not bequeathed to Moueix was divided into two equal parts and passed to the offspring of Loubat's two sisters, Madame Lacoste and Monsieur Lignac. Just three years later Moueix bought Lignac's share, gaining control over the property. In time Marie-Louis Lacoste (referred to as Madame Lacoste-Loubat on the label, but Lily to her friends) sold her remaining share to the Moueix family, and they have retained control ever since, running the estate with the help of oenologist Jean-Claude Berrouet for many years, in recent times replaced by his son Olivier (Jean-Claude's last vintage was 2007, Olivier's first was 2008, and it was Olivier - pictured above - who proudly poured the 2009 for me when I visited in early 2010). As for ownership, upon the death of Jean-Pierre Moueix one might expect the estate to have been bequeathed to Christian, but instead it went to another son, Jean-François, who is head of Groupe Duclot. As such Jean-François administers the estate, and has sole distribution rights within France, but it is Christian and Edouard that see to the vineyard, the vinification, marketing and export distribution.

The Petrus Scandal

Although Lily Lacoste relinquished control over Petrus it was inevitable that her name should continue to be associated with the estate, especially so considering the deal that was struck involved her retaining at least 1200 bottles of the wine. In fact it was these bottles that kept her name in the newspapers; once again, for perhaps all the wrong reasons, Petrus was proving very newsworthy, thanks to an apparently scandalous affair.

The scandal erupted in late 2002 when it seemed that several hundred bottles of Petrus had disappeared from the cellar of Lily Lacoste. At this point well into her 90s, it seemed as though someone may have taken advantage of a frail, elderly and trusting soul. In late 2002 her confidant Michel Chasseuil - who replaced Michel Loulière as her advisor - declared that 400 of the bottles were missing; in addition she had sold her other property Lafleur (not the famed Pomerol estate, but another in St Emilion), and donated Latour à Pomerol to a Catholic charity, and the suggestion was that in doing so she had been badly advised. Her nephew Guy Pétrus-Lignac was also suspicious of these perhaps questionable dealings, quite naturally so as heir to her fortune. As a response there was a move to make Lily Lacoste a ward of court, to protect her, but she and Chasseuil, as well as her friends and relatives, questioned the need for such a move. Subsequently a farcical game of legal musical chairs ensued, as Chasseuil was sacked and Loulière reinstated, followed by Loulière's second dismissal. A new legal team was put into place, but they were dismissed by a state-appointed protector. Slowly but surely, however, the case began to unravel.

Lily died in 2006, just a few months short of her 100th birthday, but that wasn't enough to stop the legal proceedings against the accused. As it turned out, the three that found themselves in the frame were André Border-Vidal, a wealthy octogenarian friend of Lacoste, the aforementioned Loulière and one François Burel, the general secretary of the charity which had benefitted so much from Lacoste's generosity. The opinion of psychiatrist Jean-Claude Chanseau was that at the time of these dealings Lacoste was no longer sufficiently in possession of adequate mental faculties, the obvious conclusion being that she was indeed manipulated for the good of others. At the time of writing this profile, however, no formal charges have been brought against the trio, and the court has yet to decide whether or not to continue with the proceedings.

Petrus: The Vines & Wines

The Petrus vineyard is noted for its rich, dark clay soils, less gravelly than that in some neighbouring estates such as La Fleur-Pétrus, Cheval Blanc and Figeac. These soils sit on the Petrus boutonnière (or Petrus button), a mound 40 metres above sea level; rather a modest rise, you might say, but the highest point in the appellation nevertheless. Underneath there is a thick seam of iron-rich subsoil known as crasse de fer which characterises some Pomerol vineyards such as Taillefer, where it even contributes to the name. The button though is a rich blue clay, the surrounding soils a more gravelly although still clay-rich soil. It is these soils that make Petrus what it is; although they extend over some of the neighbouring properties, at Petrus this clay covers pretty much the entire vineyard. Merlot is suited to clay of course, but there is more to it than that; the slope allows rainwater to run off when wet weather dominates, but the deeper, moisture-rich layers protect the vines in times of drought.

The vines (some of which are pictured above, looking towards Château l'Évangile) are 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc although it is not the norm for the latter to be incorporated into the blend, so today the wine is usually pure Merlot. On rare occasions Cabernet Franc does make an appearance, such as the 1.5% it contributed to the blend in 2008. In much older vintages, however, looking back to the 1960s and beyond, Cabernet Franc may have paid a much greater role, as much as 20%. There are just under 11.5 hectares all told, of which 5 were added to the estate when purchased from neighbouring Gazin in 1969. Such an acquisition is bound to cause eyebrows to raise; after all, how can the quality be maintained when the vineyard doubles in size overnight? This was a question addressed by David Peppercorn writing in Bordeaux (Faber & Faber, second edition, 1991). Moueix reported to peppercorn that of the five vats produced each vintage, three come from the original Petrus vineyard, whereas two are from the purchased vines. When ranked one to five in order of merit he claimed that the wine from the purchased vines never came last.

The vines are trained low, and many are very old, with an average age in excess of 45 years. The heritage of the vineyard has been protected by both Loubat and Moueix over the years; many of the vines failed to survive the devastating frost of 1956 and thus required replacing. Since then, whereas it is usual to replace individual deceased vines with new, Moueix has resisted, ensuring the age of the vineyard remains high, and replanting whole blocks when it is ultimately necessary. Otherwise the vineyard work is as you might imagine; yields are limited by pruning, the soils are ploughed and there is crop-thinning and de-leafing to ameliorate quality. The harvest is by hand, and such is the size of the vineyard it may be finished within two afternoons, after the morning dew has evaporated. If the moisture is more than the sun can handle it has been known for the vines to receive a blow-dry from a hovering helicopter. The ultimate yield is typically in the order of 35 hl/ha. In the cellars, which sit unprepossessingly at the side of one of the many minor roads that criss-cross the Pomerol appellation, the process of converting grape into wine follows a fairly standard pattern.

There is a sorting before pressing and fermentation, which takes place predominantly in 15 thermoregulated concrete tanks, although there are also four stainless steels vats as a back up. There is remontage to submerge the cap, and a maceration of the skins for 18-25 days. This is followed by malolactic fermentation mostly in vat, although sometimes a portion of the wine undergoes this step in barrel, and blending takes place in December before the barrel ageing per se begins, using 100% new wood. The wine will rest here for up to two years before bottling. There is no second wine, and the entire production of Petrus amounts to around 2500 cases.

Rather as is the case with Le Pin my experience of Petrus is limited by the price of the bottles, and access to the wines. No invitations to grand, multi-vintage dinners for me! And so it is mostly only the most recent vintages that I have tasted, having taken advantage of the primeur opportunity when Christian and Edouard Moueix open the doors of their quay-side offices in order to show the latest vintage to all and sundry - provided you have an appropriate appointment, of course (and more recently, a visit to the estate itself has become necessary). I am fortunate, however, that this tiny sample includes the 2008 vintage, a magnificent effort, a wine that slid into my top ten for the vintage with ease, as well as the superlative 2005 and 2009 vintages; if there was ever a need for an example of the greatness of Petrus, then look to one of these three vintages. (7/5/09, updated 2/12/10)

Contact details:
Address: 54, quai du Priourat, 33502 Libourne
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 51 78 96
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 51 79 79
Internet: www.moueix.com
GPS: 44.930614, -0.192701

Petrus - Tasting Notes

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Petrus (Pomerol) 2010: Harvested between September 27th and October 2nd, yield 35 hl/ha, eventual alcohol 14.5%. This will see just 50% new oak. There is a remarkable concentration of colour here, purple-black at the core, with a dense crimson rim. It is a very different style to Vieux Château Certan (just tasted), with a rich and savoury layer of fruit and dark-roasted plum skins here, there is nothing ethereal or lifted about this. Nevertheless it has a beautiful silky creamed fruit character on the palate, with an amazing substance in the mouth. There is a great velvety quality to the tannins, yet they are dark and intense and lightly spicy. A totally different style from the vintage here, much more dense and substantial. This is muscular and concentrated, still with a vein of elegance but this is hidden behind its bold and masculine phenotype. Even a little meaty and dense, and very long. There is no doubt that this has brilliant potential and will be a legend in its own lifetime, so to speak. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 18.5-19.5/20 (April 2011)

Petrus (Pomerol) 2009: Merlot 100% of course, alcohol 14%, pH 3.8. Very well defined and elegant fruit profile here, with a haunting Pomerol spice. A lovely and supple palate, very well defined, fresh and lively fruit profile, with a beautifully pure definition. Red plums and cherry, also slightly floral, with notes of violets, vibrant and lightly crystalline fruit, and light nuances of damson too. Elegant, elegant, elegant. Underneath, however, there is a layer of tannins which is well-controlled, giving backbone and enveloping the wine, but never dominating it. The fruit comes out on top, the harmonious texture too. There is fine acidity at the core, and there is a suppleness of fruit over the top that makes it seem very approachable. But underneath it is a wine of structure and power. It has a fine balance, but when you come to appreciate the structure it is clearly a vin de garde. Great length. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18.5-19.5+/20 (March 2010)

Petrus (Pomerol) 2008: Really very impressive style on the nose here, with rich, ripe, plump but stylishly fresh fruits dominating. The palate has a silky start to it, and the quality of the tannins clearly sets this wine apart from the rest of the Moueix portfolio in this vintage. They have a very ripe and polished character, providing elegance but also substance. The palate builds in terms of impact, with a firm and fresh acidity throughout. A very admirable wine with fine potential. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18-19+/20 (April 2009)

Petrus (Pomerol) 2007: A rich, sweet, dark and creamy nose. Real depth here, some purity to it, and a bright fruit character. Rich, plenty of substance, but balanced, firm, grippy and fresh. Deliciously direct style, broad and expressive, with a good style. Pure but deep and characterful with good vigour, this has excellent potential. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 17-18+/20 (April 2008)

Petrus (Pomerol) 2005: A very solid style on the nose here, dark and concentrated, still showing some primary Merlot character. There is purity to it though, although also a lifted and subtly volatile element, with nuances of balsamic. Intense cherry fruit, cranberry too, with roasted herbs. This all belies a rich, substantial, defined and powerfully tannic palate which has a structure that clearly demands the long haul. Very broad, lightly polished, quite fleshy although nicely styled. There is a prodigious layer of tannin here, which has a massive although velvety feel to it, swimming beneath primary fruit character. Long, tannic, balanced and well defined this is a monumental effort destined to slumber in the cellar for a very long time. From a 2005 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 19.5+/20 (November 2009)

Petrus (Pomerol) 1952: Two different bottles assessed, not decanted, simply opened and poured. One had quite a chemical-edged nose, high toned, a little painty. The second was better, the same fading hue, but also marked with a little swirling sediment. A little suggestion of oxidation but although there on the first sniff it doesn't seem to come back before I have drained my glass. What comes instead is a little floral element, a touch of honey sweetness, with gritty-crunchy fruit, and plenty of meat stock at the edge. This is certainly approachable. It is drying out on the palate, although not extensively, rather it is just that the cracks are showing. On the whole a broad and gentle flesh to it, soft, with no hard edges at all, the finish narrowing down to a very supple and thin, soft, rounded-off texture. Then on subsequent tastes it seems more gamey, evolved, with a little baked fruit. Overall, although initially not very convincing, I found the second bottle approachable, and increasingly enjoyable. Scoring a wine even of this stature at over fifty years of age is probably inappropriate, but I'll allow myself this foible. From a Pomerol Tasting with Roberson Wine. 17.5/20 (November 2010)