Pétrus displays an intense color, a rich and complex nose, and an opulent fruit. In great vintages, the wine can easily be kept for 25 years or more.
The 2018 Petrus has retained its opaque purple-black color after bottling, foreshadowing the seemingly frozen-in-time glacial pace at which this wine is proceeding. It opens very reluctantly, requiring considerable air with vigorous swirling and doggedly demands a few hours before it offers glimpses at this slumbering giant of a wine. As it eventually unfurls, it slowly morphs into a powerful, fantastically pure nose of preserved plums, blackberry preserves, and blueberry compote, followed by nuances of molten licorice, dark chocolate, black truffles, and iron ore. and, still later, floral notions of lilacs and rose oil come through. The full-bodied palate is taut and muscular. and oh-so-tightly wound at this stage, revealing peeks at many, many layers of perfectly ripe black and blue fruits, exotic spices and earthy notions for which words simply fail.
