TIME TO BUY?
1998 Petrus - 100 points and 26% down from peak
(A third pristine case this year.)
The greatest wine produced at this estate since the formidable duo of 1989 and 1990 is the 1998 Pétrus.
William Kelley, robertparker.com, December 2023
1998 Petrus
£17,900 per 6 bottle case in bond
1998 Petrus is a wine we are always searching for and this is the third case we have found this year, Atlas having already sold two at this same price. It is widely considered to be the next vintage of note following the undeniably great 1989.
William Kelley’s review, in which he awarded the 1998 a perfect 100-point score, in December 2023, echoed our belief and lifted the stature of a wine that insiders had always considered to be very special and arguably superior to the 2000 vintage.
In different market circumstances, reviews such as Kelley's, coupled with increasing scarcity, would have driven the price upwards. But the fine wine market continues to struggle for momentum, particularly in the midst of a lacklustre Bordeaux En Primeur campaign, and we are finding that we can source great wines at equally great prices.
Today, we can offer another pristine case of six bottles of 1998 Château Petrus at £17,900 per 6 bottle case in bond, down from its peak price of £24,400 per 6 bottles in bond.
1998 Petrus
£17,900 per 6 bottle case in bond (1 case available)
100 points, William Kelley, robertparker.com, December 2023
The greatest wine produced at this estate since the formidable duo of 1989 and 1990 is the 1998 Pétrus, a magical bottle that is a lot more complex and expressive today than was the case only a handful of years ago. Bursting with aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings, violets, licorice and black truffle, it's full-bodied, rich and seamless, with incredible depth at the core, beautifully refined tannins and a long, resonant finish. Even though this is probably the richest, most textural wine of the vintage, the 1998 isn't quite as broad and concentrated as the 1989, but if anything, it's even more precise and delineated. Drink 2020-2060
99 points, Neal Martin, vinous.com, December 2019
The 1998 Petrus never fails to deliver. This is a fabulous example that confirms it is a true tour de force. It has a compelling bouquet with mineral-rich black and red fruit with unerring purity. In this bottle, I notice a hint of hickory not observed previously. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, perfect acidity and a sense of tension that counterbalances the sheer power and ambition of this, the best Bordeaux of the vintage bar none. I was not quite moved to give this a perfect three-figure score, but it flirts with perfection. Drink 2020-2060
My own impressions, based on a recent tasting, are of a Petrus of great potential, which was only just starting to show its colours. A wine of classical structure in which the tannins were beautifully expressed, the mineral-infused fruit supremely elegant and just starting to pick up notes of complexity, all underscored by a very fine freshness. There was nothing obtrusive – it possessed that sense of poise and harmony that the best vintages show, without anything being out of kilter. It was still just in its shell, which is perhaps a contrast to the 1989, which I suspect would have been open for business earlier. Either way, I rank the 1998 Petrus really highly and at the age of 27, it still has a very bright future ahead.
At our price here of £17,900 per 6 bottle case in bond, Petrus 1998 looks to offer strong value for such a château in such a vintage.
The 2000 vintage continues to eclipse it in terms of price; pristine stock is listed at £22,500 per 6 bottle case in bond, and yet Neal Martin scores it a point lower. (William Kelley has no published review.)
While values have corrected, the 1998 remains a wine to watch out for on account of diminished supply, which is only likely to accelerate now it is into its drinking window, and on the back of such glowing reviews.
Please let us know of your interest.
Simon
simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com