Petrus

Identity

The Petrus estate is located in Pomerol, in the Gironde department. It is currently owned by the Moueix family (80%), with Jean-François Moueix as owner since 2003, and Alejandro Santo Domingo (20%) since 2018. Olivier Berrouet has overseen winemaking and estate management since the 2008 vintage. Jean Moueix has been managing director since 2014. Gilles Rabeyroux is the cellar master, while Fabienne and Lionel Caillon serve as vineyard managers.

History and philosophy

The history of Petrus dates back to the 18th century, with the estate owned by the Arnaud family from 1770 onwards. In the early 20th century, M. Sabin-Douarre founded the Société civile du château Petrus. In 1925, Mme Édouard Loubat acquired shares in the estate, becoming its sole proprietor in 1945. She partnered with Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1947, entrusting him with exclusive distribution rights. Following Mme Loubat's death in 1961, Jean-Pierre Moueix gradually acquired full ownership between 1964 and 1969. In 1969, the vineyard expanded through the purchase of parcels from Château Gazin, increasing its surface area from 7 to 11.5 hectares.

Since 2008, Olivier Berrouet has been in charge of winemaking. In 2014, a new winery was inaugurated. In 2024, Château Petrus became a founding estate of the Vignerons AVenir project, an initiative designed to support new or struggling winegrowers across the Bordeaux region.

Appellations

Petrus produces its wines under the Pomerol appellation. The vineyard is situated on a plateau north-east of Libourne, atop a gentle hill known as the Boutonnière.

Flagship wines

The estate produces a single red wine, Petrus, celebrated for its concentration and exceptional ageing potential. The 1956, 1965, and 1991 vintages were not produced. Certain vintages, such as 1963, 1968, 1977, and 1984, were produced in very limited quantities.

Winemaking and ageing

Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand. Vinification takes place in concrete vats. The wines are aged in oak barrels for 12 to 16 months, with the proportion of new oak barrels reaching up to 50%.

Practical information

The estate's address is 3 route de Lussac, 33500 Pomerol. For inquiries, the email is ndebono@petrus.com and the telephone number is +33 (0)5 57 51 17 96. The estate does not offer cellar-door sales, dining, accommodation, or tours.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Petrus vineyard covers 11.3 hectares. It is characterised by clay soils, notably an ancient blue clay resting on a subsoil of iron-rich hardpan (crasse de fer). This unique composition ensures a steady, regulated water supply for the vines. Grape varieties have been 100% Merlot since late 2010. The average vine age exceeds 40 years, with planting density ranging between 6,300 and 7,000 vines per hectare.