Petrus 2013

Petrus is the most famous estate in Pomerol, on Bordeaux's right bank near Saint-Emilion. Its reputation rests on a single feature of place: a buttonhole of dense blue clay, rich in smectite, that caps the gravel of the plateau and holds water through dry summers, feeding old Merlot vines at a steady rate. Merlot ripens early and fully here, building the concentration and weight for which the wine is known while the cool clay retains freshness. Vinification is traditional and careful, with long ageing in French oak that lends gentle oxidation, fine grain tannin and a frame for decades in the cellar. The 2013 is a cooler, lighter Bordeaux vintage, so this is a more restrained Petrus, balanced rather than massive. It shows a deep garnet colour and a nose of dark cherry, plum, cocoa and truffle over tobacco and damp earth. The palate is supple and seamless, with velvet tannin, savoury length and a finish that turns mineral. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant two hours ahead, or hold further. It suits roast beef, game and dishes built around mushrooms.