Petrus 2013: Scores, drinking window and vintage review

The short answer

Petrus 2013 comes from one of the most challenging Bordeaux vintages of the modern era, holding a critic average of 92.1 across 8 published reviews in this site's dataset. Shaped by a wet spring and warm, wet weather at harvest across Bordeaux, the 2013 growing season required extreme vineyard vigilance under winemaker Olivier Berrouet. Made entirely from Merlot grown on the estate's famous buttonhole of blue clay, production was naturally constrained across its eleven hectares. The recorded drinking window spans 2018 to 2035, marking this release as an earlier-maturing Pomerol with refined aromatic freshness and lighter structure than surrounding benchmark years. Collectors valuing immediate accessibility find the 2013 vintage provides authentic estate character for medium-term cellaring. Buyers weighing it against the 2012 or 2014 can compare every declared year on this site's vintage chart, where the critic averages, asks and trades are all dated to the same extract.

The 2013 growing season in Pomerol

Petrus 2013 reflects one of the most demanding climatic campaigns recorded in Pomerol over recent decades. According to Decanter, flowering in 2013 was uneven and late after a wet spring: May saw 22 days of rain, and mid-flowering took place 15 days later than average under dismal conditions, particularly for early-flowering Merlot. The weather finally turned in July, one of the hottest for over 60 years, although the heat brought storms, and August hail gave way to calm, sunny weather. A wet and warm September then brought an attack of rot just before harvest.

Winemaker Olivier Berrouet made the wine across the eleven hectares of the estate. Decanter records that ripening was slow and difficult, especially for Merlot after its poor fruit set, so many bunches were cut off to let the rest ripen, leading to small yields. Its verdict for St-Emilion and Pomerol was that rot forced an early harvest of often unripe Merlot, and only estates with many pickers and scrupulous sorting made good wines.

Critical reception and scores for Petrus 2013

Evaluations across professional fine wine reviewers reflect a lighter, earlier-drinking profile than classic vintages. Petrus 2013 holds a critic average of 92.1 across 8 published reviews in our dataset.

The wine displays tobacco leaf, red cherry, cedar, and mineral notes, carried by brisk natural acidity rather than unctuous weight. The wine is made from pure Merlot, as has been the standard in modern vintages. Because the tannins are softer and less dense than in benchmark years, the wine reached structural balance quickly, offering immediate charm to collectors seeking accessible fine Pomerol.

Benchmarking against surrounding Pomerol vintages

Comparing critic figures shows the distinct character of this release. Petrus 2013 holds a critic average of 92.1. The 2011 averages 93.3, with merchants asking £4,631 a bottle. Among other lighter years, the 2002 averages 93.0, the 1997 91.5 and the 2007 92.7.

Secondary markets stratify Right Bank releases by the reputation of the year. The 2009 holds a critic average of 99.2, with merchants asking £5,250 a bottle. Vintages like 2013 provide a distinct entry point for buyers who intend to drink rather than hold bottles for half a century.

Drinking window and cellar progression

The drinking window recorded for the vintage spans 2018 to 2035. Unlike monumental releases from 2010 or 2016 that require decades in the cellar to resolve structural tannins, the 2013 vintage opened relatively early. Opening a bottle now delivers resolved tannins, fresh acidity, and open red fruit expression.

Cellaring potential remains secure across the recorded window under standard dark conditions held between ten and twelve degrees Celsius. The wine will not develop the immense tertiary density found in long-lived years like 1989 or 2000, but it will preserve balance over its remaining shelf life. Bottles cellared beyond the end of the window risk losing their core freshness as the delicate fruit subsides.

Market availability and authentication considerations

Secondary market activity for the 2013 release reflects its limited volume. Annual output at the estate averages roughly 30,000 bottles, and Decanter reports that 2013 yields across Bordeaux were small.

Due to widespread interest in the label, Petrus remains one of the most counterfeited wines in the world. Prospective buyers should scrutinise capsule details, glass engravings, and label printing closely, demanding unbroken storage documentation from original allocation to current merchant possession.

Common questions

Sources

• Decanter: 2013 vintage guide for Bordeaux, checked 2026-09-29
• Wikipedia: Petrus (wine), 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.