CH’NG Poh Tiong
On 10 January 2024, light powdery snow covered the 11.3-hectare vineyard of Petrus
In some 30 years of visiting the Pomerol great, it had never happened.
Until last month.
Wednesday 10 January 2024 to be exact.
It was SNOWING at PETRUS!
Although light, the snow was more than a flurry wisping across the Right Bank summit. At 40 metres, Petrus is the highest point of Pomerol. A powdered whiteness covered the 11.3-hectare vineyard.
The subsoil is full of the famous blue clay particular of the legendary terroir. While some other Pomerol vineyards also possess the same coloured soil, none has as much nor as penetrating as that found at Petrus.
The oldest vines were planted in 1957. Their average age is 40 years. Some previous vintages have had a small single-digit of Cabernet Franc. Today, it is all Merlot.
In the ageing of the wine, Petrus never sees more than 50% new oak. The taste of wood has never been the goal.
I remember Olivier Berrouet – the second-generation winemaker of Petrus who took over from his father Jean-Claude in 2008 – remarking, “as soon as we taste oak in the wine, we stop their ageing in the barrels”.
Such is the aversion to the taste of wood new barrels are steamed when they first arrive. And filled with water for a further 15 days to leach out the harshest elements of the oak.
Fruit is the reason they produce wine at Petrus.
Olivier Berrouet assumed full winemaking responsibilities at Petrus in 2008
Our Business Marketing Manager, Hong Konger Ms YU Kayan, reacts to snow
PETRUS 2022Perfume of violets. intense deep blue, purple fruit. Rich, velvety, divine tannins. The sumptuous, elegant fruit is wrapped in a roundness of freshness. Petrus 2022 is one of the wines of the vintage!
