The incredible roman of the labeling of Pétrus (analysis of 15 millesimes)
I had bought a case of 12 bt of Pétrus 1952. The case was purely original, the straws were original and I did not pay enough attention to the bottles.
I bought the case and when I opened the first bottle I was horrified that the capsule was neutral and the cork was a cheap cork with nothing printed. The idea of a fake was there and the taste was not brilliant but not impossible.
A second bottle opened some days ago showed me the evidence : the wine is a fake; I has opened with it a Pétrus 1969 which was romantic and brilliant when this 1952 was flat and without a soul.
I warned my supplier that I wanted to be paid back of the case but I told him that I wanted to be sure that the bottles would never be again on the market.
In January I had planned for beginning of April a dinner of Pétrus to taste one 1952 among other Pétrus. I phoned friends and the condition was to bring Pétrus. A friend of mine had only new Pétrus so I bought for him a Pétrus 1975 whih he paid.
I wanted to put the pictures of the bottles of this dinner on my blog and I was horrified to see that the term “Grand Vin” was not present on the 1975 that I had bought for my friend.
Imagine the situation : I want to check if a 1952 is true or not, and for a friend, I add a fake 1975.
I decided to go in my cellar and I photographed 15 years of Pétrus.
1947, 1950, 1952, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1998.
I suggest that you read this article. It is like a film of Alfred Hitchcock.
And the worst is never sure !
http://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/archives/2918-le-jugement-de-Petrus.html
The year is generally written above the word Pétrus, with very different typography, in black. But for 1976 and 1978 it is in red.
For 1947, 1952 and 1975, is it not written above Pétrus but above Grand Vin. It is in black.
But for 1975, it is in red, and there is no “Grand Vin”.
And 1975 is the only year without “Grand Vin”.
For the capsules, what is written is “Chau Pétrus” and “1er des Grands Crûs” up to 1969.
In 1972, this is replaced by “CHATEAU PETRUS” and by “GRAND VIN”. This works for 1972, 1974 and 1975.
In 1976 the capsule has the two keys of Saint Peter. And it remains so up to 1998 (last pictured year).
All this should say : “the 1975 is a fake”.
But look at the last picture !!!
See!! This is what happens when you do not buy on first release but try to back-fill!
Fortunately, I do not have this sort of problem myself. Not because I always buy on first release, but because I don’t have any Petrus in my cellar!
I wish I had bought a few bottles years ago when it was a bit more affordable. I have only had one bottle, courtesy of a friend, the '79, which was quite elegant and excellent.
I don’t know the situation with older Bordeaux vintages, in terms of when chateau bottling (and consistent and predictable labelling) became the norm. With Burgundy, almost everything from the old days was negociant bottled, and then too, many of the negociants no longer exist!
I suppose, in the end, it is what the wine tastes like that is most important, and perhaps most telling, though with older bottles the question of provenence becomes another unknown.
What was the provenance of the 750ml bottle of 1975?
I hope they weren’t making fakes in 1978 when I purchased mine (none of which I have opened, and now can’t afford to!)
I have had the answer for the 1975.
For that year and only for this one, they skipped the “Grand Vin” on the label.
So, my bottle is a true one.
Concerning the fact to buy on release, if you want to drink Pétrus 1928, 1929, 1947, which I have in my cellar, you must :
1 - be very old
or
2 - use a machine to travel in the past.
To buy from unknown sources is what happens every day to collectors of old wines.
We have to live with that.
And many, many times the reward is largely worth the risk.
Francois , I am happy to see this picture of your bottle of 1950 . I had it last week , absolutely loved it . WhenI discovered your Petrus " 1950 " , I checked with mine because the print of the vintage looks " funny " . But your 1950 label and mine are exactly the same .
Francois,
You would think that if someone goes through the trouble of making fake labels, and makes them look very good, that they would at least get the design right!! ![[roll-eyes.gif] rolleyes](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8127261b2ab854e75e452f43864430c6c4f29028.gif)