2019 - Petrus, Pomerol

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Petrus charges out of the gate with rambunctious plum preserves, fruitcake, and blueberry compote notes, leading to suggestions of Chinese five spice, iron ore, and licorice. The full, rich, densely laden palate is textured with firm, fantastically plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and decadence.

The 2019 Pétrus is relatively flamboyant on the nose with gregarious black cherries, raspberry coulis scents mixed with autumn bonfire and fireside hearth. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, well balanced, quite fresh with a poised and delineated finish. I adore the pepperiness that lingers in the mouth, a multifaceted Pomerol with a long life ahead. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

A dense, structured Petrus that is full of naturally fleshy but concentrated blueberry, blackberry, cassis and loganberry fruits that feel both fully ripe and fully subdued and closed-in on themselves right now. As ever with Petrus, you have to be patient, as everything just slows down and takes its time. The tannins are juicy, with great aromatic persistency, allowing touches of smoked caramel, black truffle, black chocolate and pencil lead through as it opens. As it uncurls things turn spicier and more profound, with edges of mint leaf, fennel, aniseed and eucalyptus. This is a wine with so much to say, and it is in no hurry to go anywhere. 50% new oak.

The 2019 Pétrus is a powerful, heady wine, bursting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cassis, violets, spices, licorice and kirsch. Full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the liqueured finish, it's a ripe, high-octane Petrus that reflects the influence of a dry, warm growing season on what is essentially a single cépage (Merlot) and a single soil type (clay).

Tasted blind. Complex animal notes on the nose. Very round and supple and flattering with a little alcoholic warmth on the finish. Drying tannic finish at present but it should make it eventually. Pretty juicy liquorice fruit. (JR)