1981 Château Petrus
Prezzo di mercato
Opzioni di acquisto
Note di degustazione
Given my rather desultory score for the 1981 Petrus, a bottle that had a tincture of TCA, I was able to order a pristine bottle in London that had been acquired directly from the château, thereby giving me a chance to re-evaluate. The 1981 has an initial burst of loveliness on the nose, as if this bottle was doing a little jig, delighted that this off-vintage had been selected. Wild strawberry mixes with light tobacco leaf and pencil shavings on the nose. The palate is lighter in style, as you would expect. It is finely balanced, though not backed up by a great deal of energy or heft. Indeed, it seems to struggle more in the glass after ten minutes, becoming more loose-knit and slightly acetic. Yet, this Petrus deserves applause in the context of the growing season. What is missing in terms of complexity and vigor is compensated in sheer drinkability and openness. Larger formats might be more interesting, though I would drink standard-size bottles in the near future.
Punteggi della critica
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
Altre recensioni e punteggi
The 1981 Petrus is a vintage that I had not tasted before. Unfortunately there is just a touch of TCA on the nose. The palate showed no signs of cork taint but it feels light and rather hollow with an enervated, green finish. TCA notwithstanding, this comes across as a substandard Petrus. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.
Very dense crimson. Sweet, sophisticated and covers all the bases. Medium weight for a Petrus but quite velvety for an 81. A very successful 1981 – as neighbour Certan de May was. (JR)
I remember how thrilling the 1981 Petrus was from cask, but it has never performed as well from bottle. I have continued to downgrade it. In this tasting, the wine exhibited an understated, light, washed-out personality, with vegetal cherry/coffee-flavored fruit in the nose intermingled with scents of spicy oak. Tart, lean, and austere, this is a Medoc-like tasting wine without any of the Petrus sweetness, chewiness, or unctuosity. This must be one of the most overrated wines of the past two decades. As there was virtually no sediment in this 16-year old wine, I wonder if it was excessively fined and/or filtered? Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015. Last tasted, 12/95.
Informazioni sul produttore
Chiedete a qualsiasi amante del vino di nominare i migliori vini pregiati del mondo e la risposta includerà invariabilmente Pétrus.