The name Petrus derives from Petros, or St Peter, who is pictured on the wine’s label (iconic and, if you look closely, endearingly quirky), holding a key. The key to the cellar, or to the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps it works for both.

The land which became Petrus is mentioned in the Pomerol archives of 1746, although the name itself dates from the end of the 18th century. In 1837, the wine first appears in the list of a Bordeaux broker. In the 1898 edition of the reference tome Féret*, Petrus was ranked as the top wine in Pomerol, a status it holds to this day. Olivier Berrouet now wields the key to Petrus.

Olivier has already proven himself a worthy successor to his father, from whom he took over in the 2008 vintage.

* Féret (formally Cocks & Féret - Bordeaux et ses vins) is regarded as the definitive encyclopedia and guide for Bordeaux wines. First published in 1846 by Charles Cocks and expanded in 1850 by Michel-Édouard Féret, this comprehensive reference book details thousands of wine estates.