Chateau Petrus 1996

WEINWISSER: "Erste Reife, in der Mitte, aber noch sehr tiefes Purpur. Offenes Bouquet, bereits in voller Reife, rote Pflaumen, zarte Feigentöne, Kaffeeröstnoten, Edelhölzer, Schokolade, Pfirsichkern, erstaunlich tiefgründig und würzig. Im Gaumen fest, fleischig, kompakt, aber mit recht feinen Gerbstoffen, nachhaltiges Finale, viel Druck, Schwarzteenoten und Backpflaumen."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Rather a muddy, diffuse nose – though could be interpreted as comforting. Super-rich fruitcake on the palate. Quite dry tannins on the finish. This wine seemed very different from all the other 1996s tasted in this range – fullblown yet not ready to drink. At a decidedly awkward stage."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Wild aromas of crushed fruit, forest flower and wild mushrooms. Full-bodied, with incredibly velvety tannins that go on and on. Lovely and exciting fruit. Gorgeous, seductive wine. Hard to resist now. Better than I remember.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Proprietor Christian Moueix's 1996s have turned out well in the bottle. The 1996 Petrus is a big, monolithic, foursquare wine with an impressively opaque purple color, and sweet berry fruit intermixed with earth, pain grille, and coffee scents. Full-bodied and muscular, with high levels of tannin, and a backward style, this wine (less than 50% of the production was bottled as Petrus) will require patience. It is a mammoth example. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035"