DRINK MASTERS // CHATEAU PETRUS

Château Pétrus
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The King is here. Petrus is the King of all Bordeaux fine wines and highly ranked amongst all others. Comprised almost entirely of the Merlot grape variety, it packs more body than Hollywood plastic surgeons, but manages to maintain a pleasant balance of ripe mulberry, pure fruit, and spicy vanilla oak notes. It's like having brains and beauty.

Petrus is a very outgoing wine with a level of complexity (intensely rich, but remarkably sweet & flavorful) rarely seen elsewhere in other red wines. This impressive quality is a direct derivative of Petrus' pampered production process. The grapes are picked only in the afternoon, when the morning dew has evaporated, so as not to risk even the slightest dilution of quality. They are then fermented, aged in 100% new oak barrels for 22-28 months, and clarified. Petrus is never filtered for fear of removing some of its remarkable richness and outgoing flavor.

Like other reds, Petrus pairs excellent with beef, lamb, and veal. Or, if you prefer, you can sip sans food. But beware, Petrus is not for the faint at pocket. A bottle can set you back upwards of $1,500. I recommend one the the Great Vintages (1970-1995).

Visit the official website to see the lavish life of the grape varietals (Merlot, Cabernet Franc)that are used to make Petrus: http://www.moueix.com/