Château Palmer
About Château Palmer
Château Palmer is a Third Growth estate located in Margaux in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Although for many decades it has been viewed as one of the best wines in the region, standing toe-to-toe to Château Margaux. Château Palmer is named after a British Major-General from the Napoleonic Wars, who bought the land in 1814. He developed it considerably and gained a strong following for the wine in England. Since 1938, the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families have been major shareholders. Since the mid-1990s they have rediscovered their former class. The appointment of Thomas Duroux in 2004 has brought them into a new golden era.
Viniculture
Once part of the d'Issan estate, the Palmer vineyards cover 55 hectares in the Cantenac commune. Mostly found on a plateau of thin gravel on the edge of the estuary, the vines are densely planted, such that to ensure competition between vines and promote deep root systems. This Margaux tends to be high in Merlot, giving a ripe perfume and plum fruit flavours.
The estate makes a second wine called Alter Ego de Palmer. Annual production is around 12,000 cases of Chateau Palmer and 7500 cases of Alter Ego.
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(12x75cl) 2000Wine Spectator (92)
This is super for a second wine. Fantastic aromas of chocolate, berry and coffee. Yet very classy and subtle. Full-bodied, with a reserved rich and caressing texture. Loads of ripe and wonderful fruit in this. Second wine of Château Palmer.$1,935.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (93)
The 2009 Alter Ego de Palmer offers fleshy red cherry and wild strawberry scents on the nose, rose petal mixed with subtle mulch-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, fresh and poised with an open and expressive, slightly ferrous finish. This has a lot of personality and it should continue to age well. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.$1,445.00 -
Wine Spectator (92-95)
Velvety and inviting, with lovely dark plum and blackberry fruit, followed by a long, caressing finish. This has some grip too, but it's nicely integrated. Should have some staying power. Tasted non-blind. Score range: 92-95$162.00 -
(6x150cl) 2010Wine Spectator (92-95)
Velvety and inviting, with lovely dark plum and blackberry fruit, followed by a long, caressing finish. This has some grip too, but it's nicely integrated. Should have some staying power. Tasted non-blind. Score range: 92-95$1,600.00 -
James Suckling (94)
This is amazing for the second wine with incredible white truffle, stone and currant character. Purity of fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, silky and refined. Fantastic length. Better in 2018 but almost impossible to resist now. Incredible.$1,230.00 -
(6x75cl) 2012
James Suckling (94)
This is amazing for the second wine with incredible white truffle, stone and currant character. Purity of fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, silky and refined. Fantastic length. Better in 2018 but almost impossible to resist now. Incredible.$777.00 -
(1x75cl) 2013Vinous - Antonio Galloni (88-90)
Red cherry jam, raspberries, white flowers and spices flesh out on the 2013 Alter Ego. A juicy, succulent wine, the Alter Ego offers lovely up-front fruit married to the bright, lively acidity of the year. Sweet floral notes reappear on the lifted finish. This is a very pretty, feminine wine with plenty of near-term appeal. There is a lot to like here. The blend is 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot.$107.00 -
(12x75cl) 2014
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)
The 2014 Alter Ego is dark, inviting and impeccably balanced. Black cherry, plum, espresso, spice and new leather meld together in a sumptuous, midweight wine. The relatively high %age of Petit Verdot results in a somewhat somber, very serious second wine that carries a feeling of gravitas. The 2014 is 52 % Merlot, 32 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 13 % Petit Verdot.$889.00 -
(1x75cl) 2014Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)
The 2014 Alter Ego is dark, inviting and impeccably balanced. Black cherry, plum, espresso, spice and new leather meld together in a sumptuous, midweight wine. The relatively high %age of Petit Verdot results in a somewhat somber, very serious second wine that carries a feeling of gravitas. The 2014 is 52 % Merlot, 32 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 13 % Petit Verdot.$104.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Very solid and powerful with dried mushroom and wet earth aromas and flavors. Complex. Full and chewy yet so polished and long. Spicy, meat and gorgeous. Most serious Alter Ego ever. More inner Ego now!. 52% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot 6%.$1,410.00 -
(1x75cl) 2015James Suckling (94-95)
Very solid and powerful with dried mushroom and wet earth aromas and flavors. Complex. Full and chewy yet so polished and long. Spicy, meat and gorgeous. Most serious Alter Ego ever. More inner Ego now!. 52% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot 6%.$107.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Very solid and powerful with dried mushroom and wet earth aromas and flavors. Complex. Full and chewy yet so polished and long. Spicy, meat and gorgeous. Most serious Alter Ego ever. More inner Ego now!. 52% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot 6%.$727.00 -
James Suckling (95-96)
This is very concentrated yet soft and fresh in texture. Full-bodied and round and mouth-filling. So impressive how it fills your mouth yet remains fresh. It’s so framed.$633.00 -
(1x900cl) 2017James Suckling (94)
This is a delicious and savory wine with beautiful, ripe and creamy tannins, as well as chocolate and plum character. Full body. The flavors turn to wet earth and mushrooms with some leather. A blend of 53% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot. Lovely finish. Try after 2021.$914.00 -
James Suckling (94)
This is a delicious and savory wine with beautiful, ripe and creamy tannins, as well as chocolate and plum character. Full body. The flavors turn to wet earth and mushrooms with some leather. A blend of 53% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot. Lovely finish. Try after 2021.$466.00 -
Decanter (95)
Gorgeous rich dark purple in the glass. Quite jammy and concentrated on the nose, heady and perfumed with a lovely delicate florality to it too. Great freshness on the palate, juicy but a dark blackcurrant and cherry fruit juice. Beautifully balanced with integrated tannins and oak. Well defined fruit, generous and quite abundant against softly grippy, velvety tannins that just give support to the overall frame. It's serious but with a lightness of touch and playfulness - energetic and lively but still with depth. A great Alter Ego and confident winemaking on show.$438.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17+)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Very much in the Alter Ego mould – lively, fruit-driven with that vineyard-fresh feel but with a little more structure than previous years. Pure and appetising but will age. (JL) 13.7%$430.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17+)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Very much in the Alter Ego mould – lively, fruit-driven with that vineyard-fresh feel but with a little more structure than previous years. Pure and appetising but will age. (JL) 13.7%$402.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Savory black and salted-olive character with oyster shells and black licorice. Fine, almost powdery yet firm tannins. Medium body. Excellent density and structure for the vintage. Second wine of Palmer. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot and 8% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes.$354.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Savory black and salted-olive character with oyster shells and black licorice. Fine, almost powdery yet firm tannins. Medium body. Excellent density and structure for the vintage. Second wine of Palmer. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot and 8% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes.$684.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Savory black and salted-olive character with oyster shells and black licorice. Fine, almost powdery yet firm tannins. Medium body. Excellent density and structure for the vintage. Second wine of Palmer. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot and 8% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes.$455.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Savory black and salted-olive character with oyster shells and black licorice. Fine, almost powdery yet firm tannins. Medium body. Excellent density and structure for the vintage. Second wine of Palmer. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot and 8% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes.$410.00 -
(12x75cl) 2023James Suckling (95-96)
This is dense and velvety with a creamy texture. Blackberry, blueberry and stone aromas and flavors. Layered. Very primary and focused. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot.$977.00 -
James Suckling (95-96)
This is dense and velvety with a creamy texture. Blackberry, blueberry and stone aromas and flavors. Layered. Very primary and focused. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot.$459.00 -
James Suckling (95-96)
This is dense and velvety with a creamy texture. Blackberry, blueberry and stone aromas and flavors. Layered. Very primary and focused. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot.$428.00 -
(1x75cl) 1961Wine Advocate (100)
I hadn't tasted the 1961 Palmer for several years, and at this stage it is a little fragile, so it was an immense pleasure to drink a bottle that lived up to every bit of its legendary reputation. Offering up a complex bouquet of ripe wild berries, iris and candied violets mingled with notions of black truffle, pipe tobacco and sweet soil tones, it's medium-bodied, soft and supple, with a sweet core of fruit, melted tannins and ripe acids. Concluding with a long, intensely sapid finish, this sumptuous, impeccably balanced Palmer is indeed one of the great wines of the vintage. Incidentally, I sent the dregs to the local enological laboratory, and incredibly, the wine checks in at a mere 11% alcohol; yet such is its intensity of flavors and evident ripeness that tasters invariably guess a higher figure.$9,680.00 -
(3x75cl) 1970Wine Spectator (91)
Medium-deep garnet; cedar, tar and black truffle nose, with cassis emerging; very ripe and rich, with mature fruit flavors, a sinewy texture and great length; at its peak. -$3,405.00 -
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(1x75cl) 1982Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (93)
: Full, deep red. Spicy aromas of cassis and rose petal, with a whiff of meat. Then wonderfully penetrating and classy, with bright acidity giving the wine superb clarity and thrust. This has terrific structure. Finishes very long and fine, with excellent grip. By far the finest bottle I've tasted to date of this wine, and one of the real surprises of the tasting. (My second bottle showed roasted redcurrant, leather, meat and smoky oak on the nose; and a sweet, suave, broad palate without quite the structure and grip of the first sample. But this wine, too, offered compelling sweetness and rated 91 points.) Drink now through 2015.$552.00
