In the world of great Bordeaux, Petrus is certainly a top performer at auctions. But is paying several thousand euros for a bottle of this famous Pomerol really worth it?

The great wines of Bordeaux are not all part of the 1855 classification, which concentrates on the left bank of Bordeaux. Located in the heart of the Pomerol appellation, Petrus is proof of this, distinguishing itself since 1945 as potentially the best red wine in the world.

Owned by the Moueix family (a Colombian-American investor bought 20% of the property in 2018), the vineyards of Petrus cover 11.3 hectares, producing 30,000 bottles per year. This is not enough to meet the large global demand for this wine that became legendary in the 1970s, relatively late in comparison to other estates.

Petrus at auction

A true safe bet, Petrus rarely suffers from a crisis, especially for its greatest vintages, even if it has recently seen its prices readjust themselves like other Burgundy and Bordeaux fine wines. And so to the question on everyone’s lips…how much do you have to pay to obtain a bottle of Petrus? Well, everything depends on the vintage. Bottles in a stand-out year can go for a little less than €4,000: €3,662 for 2005, €3,892 for 2009 and €3,756 for 2010. 2018, 2019 and 2020 all surpass €4,000 (as does the 2000 vintage). For example, a 2010 was sold at auction for €5,250 in September 2024, making it the highest-priced Bordeaux sold at iDealwine’s 2024 auctions. The finest vintages ever produced (for now) are 1961 (€5,077) and 1945 (€15,651).

Despite the hype surrounding the legend of Petrus, the question remains: is it really worth the price? Only an exceptional taster could answer this. In June 2012, Jay McInerney, writer and wine connoisseur, visited Bridgehampton Wine Company in New York, a private club created by Leslie Alexander. On this occasion, the club tasted a vertical of 57 Petrus vintages, including the legendary 1945 vintage and all the vintages from 1959 to 2007. The tasting was overseen by renowned taster and critic, James Suckling, who has previously rated some Petrus vintages 100/100, including the 1989 and 1990. The result of the tasting was clear: Petrus is a great wine of exceptional longevity, with recent vintages showing enormous potential. However, the difference between vintages can be massive and some years may therefore be disappointing. Vintages that weren’t successful like those of 1970 and 1973 have the lowest price estimates for a bottle of Petrus sitting at €1,215 and €1,146 respectively.

Why is Petrus so expensive?

Obtaining 100/100 – the perfect score so many times, Petrus is undeniably one of the best red wines in the world. This is driven by its flavour profile and other qualities that are revealed when tasting the wine as well as the rarity of bottles, both of which increase the price, making it an expensive wine and a true icon. But other Pomerol producers such as La Violette, La Conseillante, L’Evangile and Le Gay sometimes manage to surpass Petrus.

iDealwine prices on the Petrus vertical:

See Petrus currently on sale on iDealwine