The short answer
Petrus 1987 represents one of the leanest releases produced at the Pomerol estate under winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet. The vintage carries a critic aggregate score of 87 points alongside an average drinker score of 92.5 across four community ratings. Produced from the estate eleven-hectare vineyard situated on the famous buttonhole of blue clay, the wine was shaped by a cool and persistently wet autumn that tested vineyard management across Bordeaux. Secondary market tracking records a retail price of 1848 pounds sterling per bottle based on observed merchant asking prices. With an established drinking window spanning 1997 to 2010, the 1987 vintage has passed its prime plateau and now drinks as a tertiary, lighter expression of Pomerol Merlot. Because Petrus produces roughly 30,000 bottles annually and operates without an official classification, physical scarcity sustains market value even in modest years where critical scores fall below the standard estate benchmark.
The 1987 growing season in Pomerol
Petrus 1987 emerged from one of the most demanding viticultural campaigns of the 1980s in Pomerol. According to regional harvest records, the growing season across Bordeaux was disrupted by unseasonable summer rains and persistent cloud cover that delayed sugar accumulation. In Pomerol, the estate eleven-hectare vineyard required rigorous canopy management to combat humidity. Sunshine in late August assisted maturation, but October downpours forced picking decisions before optimal phenolic maturity could be reached across all plots. The estate explains that careful vineyard selection remained essential to eliminate diluted fruit.
Winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, who directed vinification at Petrus from 1964 to 2007, adjusted extraction techniques to suit the lighter raw material. The Moueix family, which has guided the property since the 1960s under Jean-Pierre Moueix and later Olivier Moueix, prioritised balance over forced concentration. Working with fruit grown on the distinct buttonhole of blue clay, the technical team chose a gentle maceration to prevent astringent tannins from entering the vats. The result was a classic, early-maturing expression of Merlot that differed sharply from the powerful vintages bookending the decade.
Critical reception of petrus 1987
Professional evaluations reflect the modest scale of the vintage. Across professional assessments, petrus 1987 carries a critic score of 87 points from one recorded review. Community feedback from private cellars presents a warmer view: drinker ratings average 92.5 across four recorded scores. The gap between professional appraisal and collector sentiment illustrates how the inherent texture of Pomerol Merlot can offer pleasure even when structural weight is restrained.
Tasting archives describe the wine as aromatic, soft, and dominated by tertiary earth, dried fruit, and cedar rather than dense black fruit. The house does not use the word chateau on its label and holds no official classification rank, relying purely on cellar precision and terroir. In lighter years such as 1987, the absence of excessive oak or hard extraction preserved an accessible, supple profile that resolved its tannins far earlier than vintages such as 1986.
Comparative data against neighbouring 1980s vintages
Positioning the 1987 vintage within the historical decade clarifies its relative standing. The critic score of 87 points matches the 1984 score of 87 and sits slightly behind the 1981 score of 87.5. It falls below earlier releases including 1980 at 89, 1983 at 89.5, 1986 at 89, 1985 at 90.5, and 1982 at 94.6. It remains substantially below the legendary 1989 vintage, which achieved a perfect critic benchmark of 100 points, as well as the 1988 vintage at 93 points.
Market pricing demonstrates the price floor that defines the estate regardless of vintage reputation. Recorded merchant listings show the 1987 bottle at retail GBP 1848. This price places it close to 1980 at retail GBP 1869, 1983 at retail GBP 1889, and 1986 at retail GBP 1953. By comparison, 1988 commands retail GBP 2311, 1989 trades at retail GBP 2438, and 1982 reaches retail GBP 2500. Even the lowest-scoring years maintain high baseline valuations because annual production is limited to roughly 30,000 bottles.
Drinking window and bottle trajectory
The documented drinking window for the vintage spans 1997 to 2010. Decanter reported that early-drinking Bordeaux vintages from the late 1980s reached their aromatic peak within two decades of the harvest. Opened bottles today are fully mature and display tertiary characteristics including forest floor, leather, and dried plums. The fruit profile has thinned, meaning that bottles held in cellars should be consumed rather than reserved for extended storage.
Storage history is critical when assessing remaining inventory. Bottles kept continuously at twelve degrees Celsius in dark conditions retain their remaining fruit definition far better than stock exposed to temperature fluctuation. Because the wine lacks the dense tannic spine of 1989 or the extraction of modern releases, exposure to oxygen causes rapid fading in the glass. Wine Spectator suggests decanting mature Right Bank bottles only briefly before service to avoid losing delicate aromatics.
Provenance and secondary market verification
Acquiring bottles from this vintage requires close attention to secondary market liquidity. Current trade data records a retail figure of GBP 1848 based on one merchant ask and one month of trade history. In comparison, younger off-vintages such as 1996 trade at retail GBP 1752, while 1999 stands at retail GBP 2178. The limited number of live listings reflects both high historical consumption and small initial production.
Because Petrus is one of the most counterfeited wines in the world, verifying provenance for mature bottles is essential. Buyers should inspect cork branding, capsule condition, label typography, and ullage levels. For a bottle from 1987, a fill level into the neck or high shoulder indicates sound storage, whereas low shoulder fills indicate significant evaporation and potential oxidation. Sourcing directly from reputable merchant cellars remains the most dependable protection against altered stock.
Common questions
What is the critic score for Petrus 1987?
Petrus 1987 holds a critic score of 87 points from one professional review, alongside a drinker rating of 92.5 from four cellar submissions.
What is the recommended drinking window for Petrus 1987?
The established drinking window ran from 1997 to 2010. Bottles opened today are fully tertiary and should be enjoyed without delay.
What is the current market price for Petrus 1987?
Based on recorded merchant asking data, Petrus 1987 trades at a median retail price of GBP 1848 per standard 750ml bottle.
Who made the 1987 vintage at Petrus?
The 1987 vintage was produced by long-standing winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, who oversaw vinification at the estate from 1964 to 2007.
Sources
- Wine Spectator Bordeaux Vintage Chart, checked 2026-08-30
- Decanter Bordeaux 1987 Retrospective, checked 2026-08-30
- Jancis Robinson Pomerol Wine Overview, checked 2026-08-30
Last updated 2026-08-30. Drafted with gemini-3.7-flash against this site’s own price and critic data, then checked against the sources above. We do not put a human byline on copy a human did not write.