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10 wines that tell the Averys story



10 wines that tell the Averys story
Next on our list of wines that have helped shaped Averys history is the infamous Château Pétrus.

2.     Château Pétrus, Pomerol


Château Pétrus is one of the world’s finest and most expensive wines but it hasn’t always been that way. Indeed 70 years ago, when Ronald Avery first tried it, it was virtually unheard of.
 “The great post-war champion of Pomerol, indeed Pétrus, was the late Ronald Avery,” Christie’s Fine Wines
Ronald first came across Château Pétrus back in 1949, after sailing his yacht to Bordeaux. There he met Jean-Pierre Moueix, a wine merchant in Libourne who introduced him to Pétrus. Apparently, Ronald tasted the wine and agreed on the spot to fill his yacht with cases to take back to England!
“Avery’s of Bristol, then lead by the late Ronald Avery, who did so much to put Pomerols on the map (perhaps the Mayor of Libourne should commission a statue?)” Grands Vins: The Finest Châteaux of Bordeaux and their Wines, Clive Coates
 It’s hard to imagine just how difficult it was to sell Pétrus in those early days. It was a small, simple, unknown château; indeed, unlike the famous Médoc properties, Pétrus didn’t even have a château - just a collection of farm buildings!
Few thought that Right-Bank properties would ever make truly great wine. However, Ronald was a great supporter of Pétrus and bought all of the fine post-war vintages –some in bottle and some in cask – with many of the vintages bottled in Bristol in the Averys cellars.
By the 1960s, the word had spread and Pétrus finally became a well-known name – although still sold for significantly less than the First Growths. It wasn’t until the 1980s, with the rise in demand from the American market, that Pétrus catapulted into the spotlight. Today, a case of 3 bottles from an excellent vintage can easily reach £10,000!
And what of those older vintages? It’s rare to be able to get your hands on any of the older vintages from Pétrus but occasionally they’re made available by auction. A number of bottles from the Avery’s family cellar were recently sold at Christies, with the 1947 Pétrus (see above) fetching £7638.
If you’re interested in securing a case of Pétrus or are simply looking for a great value alternative, our fine wine team would be happy to help - email finewine@averys.com or call 01173 008 305.

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