The short answer
Petrus 2022 stands among the most critically acclaimed modern releases from the Pomerol estate, holding an average score of 98.6 points across seven professional wine critics. Produced from the estate's roughly eleven-hectare vineyard situated on the famous buttonhole of blue clay, the 2022 vintage was shaped by extreme summer heat and severe drought across the Right Bank of Bordeaux. Winemaker Olivier Berrouet managed harvest timings precisely, allowing the hundred percent Merlot harvest to retain freshness alongside intense structural concentration. On the secondary market, observed retail listings indicate an asking price of 3395 pounds sterling per standard bottle across two merchant asks, supported by three live trade listings. This puts the vintage on par with celebrated modern benchmarks like 2015, which also scored 98.6 points, and 2005 at 98.5 points. With its concentrated fruit core and firm tannic architecture, Petrus 2022 represents an enduring acquisition for fine wine collectors.
Growing season and harvest conditions in Pomerol
Petrus 2022 entered the cellar after one of the hottest and driest growing seasons recorded in Bordeaux history. According to Decanter, protracted heatwaves and drought defined the summer across Pomerol, testing vine resilience on the Right Bank. The roughly 11-hectare vineyard of Petrus benefited directly from its geological anomaly: the famed buttonhole of smectite blue clay. This clay layer acts as a subterranean sponge, retaining moisture from winter rains and gradually releasing water to the vine root systems during prolonged dry spells.
Winemaker Olivier Berrouet, who has directed winemaking at the estate since 2008, oversaw an early picking schedule to preserve acidity before over-ripeness could compromise freshness. The house notes that harvest took place in early September under clear skies, yielding small berries with thick skins and high concentration. Unlike earlier eras when Cabernet Franc occasionally entered the blend in small quantities, modern Petrus is vinified entirely from Merlot. Total production remained constrained near the customary regional ceiling of roughly 30,000 bottles.
The critical consensus on petrus 2022
Professional evaluation places the release among the top echelon of recent Pomerol vintages. Across seven professional wine critics, the 2022 wine holds an aggregate score of 98.6 points. Wine Advocate reported that the vintage shows astonishing aromatic purity, balancing intense dark fruit with seamless tannins. Jane Anson noted that the water retention of the Pomerol plateau enabled the estate to produce a wine of striking elegance despite the heat of the growing season.
Tasters consistently emphasise the textural restraint of the petrus wine 2022 vintage. Rather than succumbing to the jammy or alcoholic heaviness seen in some dry years, the wine retains mineral tension and fresh lift. The estate explains that careful canopy management shielded the fruit from direct sunburn while keeping potential alcohol levels in balance. The 98.6 critic average places the vintage alongside historical benchmarks, proving that the unique terroir of the plateau handled drought conditions effectively.
Structural comparison with recent benchmark vintages
Measuring the 2022 release against adjacent vintages underscores its critical standing. Its 98.6 critic average matches the 2015 vintage at 98.6 and edges past the 2020 release at 98.2. It trails only exceptional modern scores such as the 2018 vintage at 99.3, the 2009 vintage at 99.2, and the historic 1989 release, which holds a perfect 100 critic score. It also sits ahead of the 2019 vintage at 97.3, the 2017 vintage at 96.9, and the 2021 vintage at 94.4.
Structurally, commentators draw parallels to both 2015 and 2020. The 2015 vintage delivered opulent fruit supported by ripe tannins, whereas the 2020 vintage displayed chiseled minerality and linear drive. The 2022 release bridges these two profiles by combining the density of 2015 with the tension of 2020. In historical perspective, the vintage demonstrates that the estate can deliver benchmark quality in hot years without losing classical Pomerol balance.
Secondary market pricing and valuation
In the secondary market, observed trade data shows the petrus 2022 price at retail GBP 3395 per bottle across 2 merchant asks, supported by 3 live listings. This valuation reflects both the restricted volume of the harvest and the strong critical score. For comparison, the 2020 vintage trades at retail GBP 2945 with a 98.2 score, while the 2019 release commands retail GBP 2700 with a 97.3 score. The 2018 vintage, holding a 99.3 score, trades at retail GBP 3087.
Looking at older reference vintages reveals how high-scoring years appreciate over time. The 2005 vintage trades at retail GBP 3333 for a 98.5 score, while the 2009 vintage trades at retail GBP 3288 for a 99.2 score. The 2000 vintage sits higher at retail GBP 4104 with a 98.4 score. The 2022 release therefore arrives on the market priced above several physically mature vintages, demonstrating that collectors pay an immediate premium for top tier en primeur and early physical allocations.
Provenance, counterfeits and cellar longevity
Petrus remains one of the most counterfeited wines in the fine wine trade due to its value and global demand. Pomerol has no official classification, meaning Petrus commands its status purely through market reputation and unyielding quality control. When buying the 2022 vintage on the secondary market, buyers must demand complete documentation of storage and merchant chain of custody. Original wooden cases with intact estate seals and verifiable merchant provenance provide essential assurance for collectors.
While early drinking windows for neighbouring vintages suggest long horizons, like 2020 spanning 2027-2070 and 2019 spanning 2028-2082, the 2022 vintage possesses structural depth built for multi-decade maturation. Professional storage at twelve degrees Celsius in steady humidity will allow the powerful tannins to soften gradually. Cellar masters recommend holding bottles undisturbed for at least a decade from vintage before assessing initial maturity.
Common questions
What is the critic score for Petrus 2022?
Petrus 2022 holds an aggregate critic score of 98.6 points based on evaluations from seven major wine critics.
What is the market price of Petrus 2022?
Observed market data shows a median asking price of GBP 3395 per standard bottle, based on two merchant asks and three live listings.
What grape variety is used in Petrus 2022?
Petrus 2022 is made entirely from 100% Merlot grown on the blue clay plateau of Pomerol.
How does the 2022 score compare to other recent Petrus vintages?
At 98.6 points, the 2022 vintage matches the 2015 release (98.6) and exceeds the 2020 (98.2), 2019 (97.3), and 2021 (94.4) releases.
Sources
- Decanter Bordeaux 2022 En Primeur Report, checked 2026-08-30
- Wine Advocate Bordeaux 2022 Vintage Analysis, checked 2026-08-30
- Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux 2022 En Primeur, 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.