The short answer
Petrus 2018 represents one of the highest-rated modern vintages produced by the Pomerol estate, holding an aggregate score of 99.3 points across eight professional wine critics. Produced under the direction of winemaker Olivier Berrouet from the estate's eleven-hectare vineyard situated on Pomerol's renowned buttonhole of blue clay, the release is crafted entirely from Merlot. Secondary market pricing across twelve months of trade history reveals a median retail price of 3087 pounds sterling per standard bottle across eight active merchant asks. The growing season commenced with heavy spring rains followed by an extended, dry summer that allowed the fruit to attain complete phenolic maturity with exceptional structural concentration. Critical consensus establishes an extensive drinking window spanning from 2024 to 2080, confirming substantial cellar longevity. With an annual production limited to roughly 30,000 bottles, the 2018 vintage commands significant attention from international collectors seeking peak Right Bank fine wine benchmarks.
The 2018 vintage in Pomerol
Petrus 2018 entered the fine wine market as one of the most structurally concentrated releases produced at the Pomerol estate in the modern era. The vintage achieved an aggregate score of 99.3 points across eight professional critics, positioning it alongside celebrated historical releases. Winemaker Olivier Berrouet managed a demanding growing season that began with severe mildew pressure before transitioning into unbroken summer warmth. Secondary trade data gathered across twelve months of market observation shows a median retail price of GBP 3087 per bottle from eight active merchant listings.
According to Decanter, the early months of 2018 in Pomerol brought persistent rainfall that saturated the subsoils across the plateau. The Moueix technical team maintained strict canopy management throughout May and June to protect the crop. Conditions reversed in July, bringing three months of drought and heat that concentrated sugars and phenolic compounds in the Merlot grapes. The estate's famous buttonhole of smectite blue clay absorbed the spring water and fed the vines gradually through the dry autumn, preventing dehydration stress and ensuring optimal phenolic ripeness.
Why petrus 2018 stands apart in modern Bordeaux
Petrus holds a unique position on Bordeaux's Right Bank, where Pomerol operates without an official classification system. The estate relies entirely on its reputation, price history, and terroir across eleven hectares of vineyard. As Olivier Berrouet has explained regarding the estate philosophy, modern vintages at Petrus are produced entirely from Merlot, with Cabernet Franc excluded from the blend. The 2018 bottling exhibits deep structural depth while retaining the aromatic poise associated with the plateau.
Wine Spectator observed that the harvest took place under calm conditions, allowing the pickers to select fruit at exact ripeness levels. Annual output at Petrus remains modest at roughly 30,000 bottles, a fraction of the volumes produced by Medoc First Growths. Vinous reported that the 2018 vintage possesses striking depth and velvety tannin architecture, making it one of the defining expressions of twentieth-first-century Pomerol.
Scoring benchmarks against neighbouring years
Critical consensus places the 2018 vintage at the summit of modern Pomerol production. The 99.3 critic average matches or surpasses most recent declarations. It exceeds the 2015 vintage, which stands at 98.6 points, and the 2016 vintage at 98.7 points. It also outscores subsequent releases, including the 2019 vintage at 97.3 points and the 2020 vintage at 98.2 points. Only older legend vintages such as the 1998 at 99.6 points and the 1989 at a perfect 100 points sit higher in aggregate scoring.
Comparing trade prices illustrates how the secondary market values this critical acclaim. At retail GBP 3087, the 2018 vintage commands a premium over the 2017 edition at retail GBP 2240 and the 2019 at retail GBP 2700. However, it trades below the mature 2009 vintage at retail GBP 3288, despite holding a 0.1 point aggregate critic advantage over that 99.2-point release. It also trades below the 2022 release at retail GBP 3395, offering collectors a relatively favourable entry point for a near-perfect score tier.
Drinking window and cellar evolution
The verified drinking window for the 2018 vintage spans from 2024 to 2080. This fifty-six-year span reflects the exceptional natural concentration and tannin volume achieved during the hot 2018 summer. While early tastings indicate that bottles are technically accessible from 2024, the wine remains in its formative stage. The dense core of dark fruit and firm mineral tannins will require extended cellar age to reveal secondary complexity.
Decanter noted that proper storage is vital to preserve the balance of warm-climate Pomerol vintages. Bottles held at consistent temperatures between ten and twelve degrees Celsius will reach their secondary development phase after 2035. Given the extreme longevity of the vintage, well-kept bottles should retain freshness past 2070, matching the historic trajectories seen in classic years like 1989 and 1998.
Secondary market valuation and trade data
Market liquidity for top-tier Pomerol remains concentrated among specialised merchants and international auction houses. Tracking eight live merchant asks across twelve months confirms a stable median price of GBP 3087 for standard 750ml bottles. This places the 2018 vintage comfortably above the 2014 release at retail GBP 2750 and the 2012 at retail GBP 2378, reflecting the structural disparity between top-tier and mid-weight vintages.
Provenance verification is paramount for any commercial transaction involving Petrus. Because the estate is among the most counterfeited wines in the world, trade pricing relies heavily on verifiable storage histories and original wooden cases. Buyers acquiring stock from the 2018 vintage benefit from relatively recent physical release cycles, making pristine provenance easier to verify through reputable merchants than is possible with older twentieth-century bottlings.
Common questions
What is the critic score for Petrus 2018?
Petrus 2018 holds an aggregate critic score of 99.3 points based on evaluations from eight professional wine critics.
What is the drinking window for Petrus 2018?
The recommended drinking window spans from 2024 to 2080, indicating exceptional cellar longevity.
What is the retail price of Petrus 2018?
Based on twelve months of market trade data across eight merchant asks, the median retail price is GBP 3087 per standard bottle.
What grape varieties are in Petrus 2018?
Petrus 2018 is made entirely from 100% Merlot grown on the estate's blue clay soils in Pomerol.
How does Petrus 2018 compare to the 2016 vintage?
Petrus 2018 holds a higher critic aggregate score at 99.3 points compared to 98.7 points for the 2016 vintage, and trades at retail GBP 3087 compared to GBP 3000 for the 2016.
Sources
- Decanter Bordeaux 2018 Vintage Report, checked 2026-08-30
- Wine Spectator Bordeaux 2018 Overview, checked 2026-08-30
- Vinous Bordeaux 2018 Review, 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.