2008 Pétrus, Pomerol

An impressively fresh, youthful hue here. It has a bright, aromatic, perfumed style on the nose, fragrant with rose petals and peonies. Delightfully fresh pencil shaving notes, with very elegantly defined perfumed plum and damson notes behind, and a touch of praline sweetness. But it is that floral delicacy that really defines it. A very swish style to the palate, beautifully integrated and perfumed, very harmonious in style, with an elegant texture draped over the tannins, which build and build through the middle to really dominate, the wine both elegant but also incredibly youthful and even a little backward such is the tannic substance here. Impressive, but this needs to be left to rest in the cellar for another decade or so.

Tight and firm, yet with incredibly embracing tannins that are still in their early phase of evolution, even though it is 100% Merlot. It's a trick that basically nobody else in Pomerol can pull off to quite this extent. Some liquorice kicks through, along with dark plum and blackberry fruits, touches of white pepper and coffee bean. Extremely enjoyable and still extremely young. (JA)