Brand: Chateau La Fleur Petrus
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Vintage: 2018
Rating: 99
JS99: Ripe black fruit, clove, licorice, pine and walnut husk on the nose. Bitter chocolate and coffee, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Muscular and very formed. Energetic and precise with long, chewy layers and lots of depth, structure and polish. Superb. Needs time. Try from 2026.
WA97+: A blend of 91% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 la Fleur-Petrus has a medium garnet-purple color and a slightly closed-down nose to begin, soon unfurling to reveal earthy notions of black truffles, mossy tree bark and damp soil, over a core of plum preserves, wild blueberries and redcurrants, plus a fragrant waft of menthol lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate has the most gorgeous, velvety texture with well-knit freshness giving lift to the densely packed black fruit and earthy layers, finishing with a beguiling perfume. Stunning. Give it a good 3-4 years in bottle and drink it over the next 30 years or more.