Château Pétrus Grand Vin Pomerol 2023 is a Merlot-led red from Pomerol on Bordeaux's Right Bank, grown on the clay that gives this corner of the appellation its density and its calm. It is powerful without being heavy, and in 2023 it carries a fragrance and polish that make it more approachable in youth than the name suggests.

Dark plum, black cherry and violet lead the aromatics, with truffle, cocoa and a trace of iron underneath. The fruit is deep and lifted rather than jammy, and there is a savoury, earthy edge that builds as the wine sits in the glass.

The palate is broad and seamless, with tannins that are fine-grained and quietly insistent rather than firm. Acidity runs clean through the middle, keeping the weight in check, and the finish is long, mineral and faintly salty. The 2023 growing season in Pomerol brought heat alongside real mildew pressure, and the rigorous fruit selection that demanded shows up as purity and precision rather than sheer mass.

Serve it with roast duck, slow-cooked beef cheeks, mushroom-heavy dishes or aged hard cheese. Decant for an hour or two and give it a large glass.

Drinking well from about 2030, and holding comfortably through to 2060 and beyond in good cellaring conditions.