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Petrus

Petrus’s position in the area first became clear when it won a gold medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1878, the first wine from Pomerol to gain this distinction. After Chateau Ausone, it is the smallest of the great wines of the Gironde. The label which has been used since about 1930 depicts a picture of St. Peter who is the patron saint of the winery.

The things that make this wine special are that it is normally made from 100% Merlot grapes. Also this vineyard is subject to frost, this quite often cuts the potential yield of the vineyard, producing wines of great concentration. Coupled with severe pruning and and crop thinning (up to 40% removed) the yield is further reduced, thereby concentrating the wine even more. Petrus’s hiehly-skilled pickers only pick in the afternoon (120-150 workers complete the work in two afternoons) by which time the sun will have evaporated all the dew that would otherwise dilute the wine. This process also yields grapes at a temperature favorable to fermentation. The vin de presse is added to the free run immediately, unlike other chateaux who keep it separately and add it during the assemblage of the Grand Vin. The malo-lactic fermentation is encouraged to occur simultaneously with the alcoholic fermentation. The wine is matured for up to 26 months in a 100% new oak. All these factors combined with the unique soil contained within the boundaries of Petrus, a geological anomaly, set it apart from the rest.
 
Second label: None
Area under vines: 11.4 ha.
Av. prod.: 4,500 cases
Distr. of vines.: 1 blocks
Soil: a unique geological formation of sandy-clay on a bed of iron-pan.
Grape varieties: 95% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
Pruning: Guyot simple, 6-7 buds.
Vines per ha.: 5,300
Av. age of vines: 45 years
Av. yield per ha.: 33hl
Harvesting: Hand picked
Added yeasts: natural
Length of maceration: 21-25days
Temp. of ferm.: 27-32C
Control of fermentation: Automatic temperature regulated tanks.
Vin de presse.: Use a 100% of first pressing
Fining: Second winter after the harvest.
Fresh egg whites (5 eggs to one barrel)
Type of vat: cement
Age of casks: 100% new (Allier)
Time in Barrels : 24-26 months
Filtration: prior to bottling.
Type of bottle: Bordelaise
Bottled at the chateau: 100%
STORAGE: 10-30 Years.
SERVICE TEMPERATURE: 17 C
FOOD/CONSUMPTION: Particularly good with faisan roti a la perigourdine.