CHATEAU PETRUS

No classification here, folks, it's Pomerol; but who needs it when you're Pétrus, one of the most famous (and expensive) wines in the world. In the 19th Century it was considered nothing more than a lunch-time claret by the Poms, but oh, how things have changed.

Its great age is said to have begun at the end of WWII, having been quietly acquired from the founding Arnaud family share by share, by hotel magnate Mme. Loubat, a woman with a reputation for formidable dedication to quality. With the astute Jean-Pierre Moueix acquiring exclusive selling rights at the same time, it was the beginning of a prosperous partnership.

Pétrus was served at the wedding of England's Elizabeth and Philip, and its fame grew in the US in the 1960's (President Kennedy was not immune to its charms). Owned outright by the Moueix family since 1969, the estate sits atop the Pomerol plateau on an iron-rich clay terroir unlike any other. Usually 100% Merlot, Pétrus is one of the longest-lived Bordeaux, demanding decades of cellaring before it will unveil its true greatness. Unparalleled.