2010 Petrus, Pomerol, Bordeaux

Deep garnet coloured, the 2010 Petrus opens a little broody, with gently crushed rocks, a cast iron pan and fragrant earth notions giving way to core plum preserves, baked blueberries, liquorice and Black Forest cake plus wafts of pencil shavings, garrigue and violets. Full-bodied, the palate is beautifully poised with a firm line of exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and fantastic freshness bolstering the generous fruit, finishing very long and very, very classy. Collectors fortunate enough to have a few bottles of this vintage are advised to be patient and allow it a further 7-10 years to loosen up and emerge gloriously from this rock-solid structure.

Drink 2027 - 2070

This a Petrus with extraordinary balance and depth. It shows such elegance in the nose with complexity of black olives, dark fruits, and flowers. The palate is full and ultra-velvety yet there is a cashmere quality to the texture. It takes your breath away. There's almost a Burgundian quality in the mouthfeel meaning it takes you deep into the soil and captivates your attention. Greatest modern vintage of Petrus ever?

Try after 2018

The harvest at Petrus took place between September 27 and October 12, and the 2010 finished at 14.1% natural alcohol, which is slightly lower than the 2009's 14.5%. The 2010 reminds me somewhat of the pre-1975 vintages of Petrus, a monster-in-the-making, with loads of mulberry, coffee, licorice and black cherry notes with an overlay of enormous amounts of glycerin and depth. Stunningly rich, full-bodied and more tannic and classic than the 2009, this is an awesome Petrus, but probably needs to be forgotten for 8-10 years. It should last at least another 50 or more.

Someone told me recently that Petrus had a second wine, so I asked Olivier Berrouet, their young, talented administrator, whether that was true, and he flatly denied it, so if any Asian wine buyers are running across second wines of Petrus in Hong Kong or on mainland China, be warned – they are not genuine. Proprietor Jean Moueix, who I believe is in his late twenties, has taken over for his father, Jean-Francois, who has largely retired, and the younger Moueix has really pushed quality even higher at this renowned estate. Anyone visiting Pomerol would have undoubtedly noticed the renovations at Petrus, as it was once one of the most modest and humble buildings in the appellation.

Moreover, I suspect that multi-millionaire/billionaire collectors will have about 50 years to debate over which vintage of Petrus turns out better, the 2009 or 2010. In a perfect world, most people would love to have a few bottles of each, or at least the opportunity to taste them once in a while, as they have become more of a myth than something real, but these wines do, in fact, exist!

Drink 2021 - 2071

Jean-François rather than Christian Moueix was managing this property – since 2009.

Very lustrous dark crimson. Intense meaty, tarry nose. Much fleshier than Le Pin. Sweet and spicy on top, savoury and rather well constructed underneath. This should have a particularly long drinking window. Not especially opulent for Petrus.

Drink 2018 - 2048

14.5% alcohol; 100% merlot; 50% new oak.

Good, fully saturated ruby. The complex, brooding nose offers aromas of ripe plum, blackberry jam, violet, cocoa syrup and Oriental spices; though deep and opulent, the nose is much less forward and exotic than either the 2008 or 2009. The palate offers outstanding intensity to the blackcurrant, cocoa and spice flavours, but this very densely packed Petrus manages to remain light on its feet. Saturates the entire mouth, finishing with very creamy tannins and a great lift. A big wine that reminded me of the 1975. 

Jean-Claude Berrouet liked this comparison, noting that both vintages produced berries with the same thick skins, and wines with similar acidity levels, but pointed out that the 2010 is less accessible than the 1975 was at the same stage of development. There was also more alcohol in the 2010. Wine lovers with very deep pockets might want to take note that the '09 the wine of that vintage, in my book) and '10 Petrus are this property's best back-to-back duo in some time.

The youthful yet outrageously talented Olivier Berrouet has really made his mark with his second vintage in sole charge. This wine seems more assured than the 2009, with subtle oak integration, a gloriously aromatic nose, spicy red fruits, medium weight tannins and a taut, minerally finish tying the whole package together like a huge silk bow. A wine that favours finesse over extraction. The price will be bonkers, but this is a stunning Pomerol.

Fully saturated ruby. Knockout aromas of fresh black cherry, blackcurrant, exotic herbs, coffee and menthol, plus a hint of minerality. Juicy, fruit-driven flavours of dark berries and cherry are complicated by cocoa, vanilla and graphite and given laser-like precision by vibrant, harmonious acidity. Manages to be both fleshy and acidic at the same time, demonstrating uncanny depth and complexity of flavour. This strikes me as deeper and longer than the already magnificent 2009: it may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. These two wines from Petrus make for an outstanding, back-to-back pair of vintages.

Maybe surprising to see a Pomerol that is so well-built that it is not anywhere near ready even at 10 years old, but this is Pétrus, a place that writes its own rules. The brushed silk exuberance is there but hidden underneath a still-pulsating wall of tannins. You expect this level of concentration in Pauillac, so it is more of a surprise on the Right Bank, but here you are in no doubt that 2010 is an intellectual, demanding vintage that needs to be given time. You need to look to 2009 Pétrus to begin enjoying any time soon - this is structured, full of dark fruits, structured, savagely built, out to impress.

Drink 2025 - 2050

The 2010 Petrus has an extraordinary bouquet, ineffably complex with brambly red fruit, sous-bois, dried blood and wild mint aromas that unfurl magically from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and generous, yet amazingly controlled with such tension and grace on the silky smooth finish. This is a fantastic Petrus, one of the greatest in recent years.

Drink 2025 - 2060