Petrus 1970: Scores, drinking window and review

The short answer

The most recent recorded sale of Petrus 1970 in our data was £1,659 a bottle in August 2025.

Petrus 1970 stands as a landmark post-war vintage from Pomerol, holding a critic average of 93.0 across 4 published reviews. Made by Christian Moueix in his first vintage at the estate, with Jean-Claude Berrouet as oenologist, the wine reflects a season in which a cool, wet spring gave way to fine weather from late May into July. Community tasting logs record a drinker average of 96.2 across 34 drinker ratings. On this site's Pomerol vintage chart, the appellation as a whole is rated 90 for 1970. The recorded drinking window spanned 1990 to 2016, placing pristine seventy-five centilitre bottles at full tertiary maturity today. Sourced from the estate vineyard on Pomerol's renowned buttonhole of blue clay, the 1970 vintage remains one of the defining historical expressions of nearly unblended Merlot. With verified physical stock scarce across international auction channels, bottles with sound provenance continue to serve as vital benchmarks for mature Right Bank claret.

The 1970 growing season and harvest in Pomerol

Petrus 1970 followed two difficult years in 1968 and 1969, both rated 1/5 in the Decanter guide. According to Decanter, a cool, wet April and May gave way to fine weather from late May through July, and warm temperatures returned in September and carried into October. August saw a week or so of cool weather. Decanter names Petrus as the outstanding wine of the vintage, with great power and richness and extraordinary ripe concentration.

Jean-Claude Berrouet, attached to Petrus from 1964, was the oenologist, and from 1970 Christian Moueix nurtured and made the wine. The estate vineyard, occupying roughly 11 hectares on Pomerol's celebrated buttonhole of blue clay, was enlarged in 1969 from seven hectares when a clay parcel of Château Gazin was bought. Decanter notes that this mostly clay soil retains moisture, which helps to minimise stress in hot, dry years.

How Petrus 1970 was received by critics

Professional appraisal of the 1970 release reflects enduring respect for its structural foundation. Across 4 published reviews, the wine holds a critic average of 93.0. Wine Spectator's report on a Petrus vertical scored the 1970 at 95 points, describing it as very, very ripe and almost seamless in structure, full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish.

Consumer reception across private collector logs indicates strong enthusiasm for well-preserved bottles. Drinker evaluations show an average score of 96.2 across 34 drinker ratings. The natural density of Pomerol Merlot on blue clay enabled the wine to retain fruit weight while shedding its initial tannic austerity.

Drinking window and tertiary cellar profile

The recorded drinking window for the vintage ran from 1990 to 2016. Standard bottles opened today have entered late-stage maturity, showing bricking at the rim and an aromatic profile dominated by leather, damp earth, cigar box, and dried plum. Siphoning or aggressive decanting is discouraged for bottles past their primary window. Standing the bottle upright for 24 hours prior to service settles the sediment, ahead of gentle pouring directly into broad Bordeaux stems.

Cellar conditions determine how individual bottles show more than five decades after harvest. Bottles kept consistently at ten to twelve degrees Celsius in high humidity retain vitality on the finish. Stock exposed to fluctuating thermal conditions will display accelerated oxidation and dried fruit profiles.

Historical performance against adjacent vintages

Assessing the 1970 release within its chronological cohort highlights the distinct stylistic shifts of the era. The 1966 holds a critic average of 92.6 and a drinking window of 1991 to 2030. Preceding landmark years include 1964, with a critic average of 99.0, and 1961, with 97.0 and a window of 1991 to 2030.

Directly following 1970, the 1971 vintage holds a critic average of 94.0 and a drinker score of 95.7 from 60 drinker ratings, with a window of 1991 to 2007. The 1975 vintage holds a critic average of 95.8 and a drinking window of 2000 to 2050. Among modern vintages, the 1989 holds a critic average of 100.0. The 1970 was the first vintage Christian Moueix made at Petrus.

Provenance risks and bottle authentication

Acquiring mature Pomerol from the 1970s carries specific verification requirements. Because Petrus produces roughly 30,000 bottles annually and does not hold an official classified growth status, demand creates high exposure to counterfeiting in the secondary market. The 1970 has traded in 2 months of our recorded history, and last traded at £1,659 a bottle in August 2025.

Inspectors examining 1970 bottles must verify capsule integrity, label printing typography, and ullage levels. A fill level below the upper shoulder is common for bottles older than fifty years, but low shoulder fills indicate compromised cork seals. Unbroken cellar ownership or receipts from reputable merchants are the strongest evidence of provenance.

Common questions

Sources

• Decanter Saint-Emilion and Pomerol vintage guide, checked 2026-09-29
• Wine Spectator: Drinking the legend, a Petrus vertical, checked 2026-09-29
• Decanter: Petrus wine, behind the legend, checked 2026-09-29
• Decanter Wine Legend: Château Petrus 1945, checked 2026-09-29

By WineExperts. First published 30 August 2026, last updated 29 September 2026. Figures from our tracked merchant prices and recorded sales; text prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed above.