1964 Petrus

The 1964 Petrus is one that I have not tasted for a few years, plagued by a few suspect bottles. Back to the real thing, it stands as a testament to Jean-Claude Berrouet, who oversaw this wine literally straight from completing his studies. It still has a breathtaking bouquet that whisks you off your feet: vivacious kirsch, blueberry, truffle and cedar, more exotic and precocious than the 1961 yet without diminishing its delineation by one iota. The palate has exceptional balance with saturated tannin, perfectly judged acidity to counterbalance the extraordinary richness and sweetness of this Pomerol. Notes of vivid red fruit laced with fresh fig and date just electrify the senses, a little spicier than the 1961 towards the finish that exerts a gentle grip as it fans out gloriously. When Chuck D urged us not to believe the hype, he was not referring to the 1964 Petrus. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.

The 1964 Petrus sports the deepest colour of the three Pomerols. It is one of the finest bottles that I have met: dark berry fruit, freshly tilled earth, a sprig of wild mint, hints of bay leaf all delivered with impeccable precision and focus. This is a bouquet that you can easily lose yourself within. The palate is sublime with sappy red fruit, mulberry, thyme and clove, fanning out towards the finish that is fathomlessly deep. The harmony in this Pomerol is otherworldly and I feel it is blessed with the greatest persistence of the three. At 55-years of age, the brilliance of this Petrus remains undiminished.