Learn everything about Chateau Palmer Margaux Third Growth with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn all the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Palmer, History, Overview
Most people think the birth of Chateau Palmer starts when the estate’s namesake, Colonel Charles Palmer purchased the vineyard. However, the property is much older. Originally, the vineyards were part of the much larger estate belonging to the owner of Chateau dIssan.
Once the vineyard was separated from dIssan, it was soon known as Chateau de Gascq taking its name from the current owner, the de Gascq family. In the early 1800s, the formidable owner, Marie Brunte de Ferriere, better known as Madame de Gascq, was trying to sell the property.
When she met Charles Palmer, she told him in no uncertain terms that the wine produced at Chateau de Gascq is as good as the wine of Chateau Lafite! It was not long after their initial meeting that he purchased the estate and like many Bordeaux chateaux owners of their time, he renamed it after himself, calling it Chateau Palmer.
Charles Palmer started increasing the size of his vineyard. In time, he managed to triple Chateau Palmer to 80 hectares of vines accompanied by an additional 80 hectares of trees and parkland. Much of the vines were located in some of the best terroirs in the appellation in the communes of Cantenac, Issan, and Margaux.
In 1843 Chateau Palmer was sold to the Pereire family. The Pereire family invested a lot of money into improving and modernizing Chateau Palmer. They were also responsible for constructing the picturesque chateau with its 4 turret-shaped towers and outdoor village. It was during the Pereire family era that Palmer reached its peak vineyard size with over 100 hectares planted with vines.
In 1938, The Pereire family sold Chateau Palmer to a consortium of four families that included some of the wealthiest Bordeaux negociants. The Ginestet family, Miailhe family, Mahler-Besse family, and the Sichel family jointly purchased the estate.
In time, the Mahler-Besse family and the Sichel family bought out the other two-family holdings. The Ginestet family sold their shares of Chateau Palmer in 1950 and again in 1982 to Mahler-Besse. The Louis Miailhe family also sold their shares of Chateau Palmer to both the Sichel family and the Mahler-Besse families.
Chateau Palmer The Modern Era
The two majority shareholders of Chateau Palmer today remain the same two families, both of which are well-known and respected negociants, Mahler Besse and Sichel. In all, there are 22 different shareholders of Chateau Palmer.
Stepping back a bit, in the 1950s, Chateau Palmer was managed by Jean Bouteiller, the son-in-law of Frederick Mahler, the majority shareholder at the time. Having spent forty-two years as the director of Chateau Palmer, Jean Bouteiller retired in 2004.
Jean Bouteiller was replaced by the young, energetic, agronomist and oenologist Thomas Duroux in 2004. This allowed Thomas Duroux to return to Bordeaux after spending time managing estates in Italy. Since the arrival of Thomas Duroux, Chateau Palmer has entered a golden era for the historic Medoc chateau.
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Chateau Palmer, like many of the top estates, is always interested in making the improvements needed to produce the best wine possible. This seems like an ongoing process at the chateau.
The vat rooms and chai of Chateau Palmer were entirely refurbished in 1995. Since then, they have added 42 temperature-controlled, conical-shaped, stainless steel vats that were designed to provide the vinification on a parcel by parcel basis, allowing for much more precision in the winemaking.
Today, Chateau Palmer has 2 cellars. One cellar is known as the 1st year cellar. In that area, they keep the barrels with the wine from the current vintage. The wine remains in that room for one year until it’s replaced with wine from the following vintage.
Major renovations took place at Chateau Palmer starting in 2010 and again, finishing in 2024. The work included a complete modernization of the grape reception area, the vat rooms, and the barrel cellar. The sorting facilities and bottling were also updated. There is also a new room dedicated to tasting.
The entire, picturesque village of Chateau Palmer was also updated. The old pumping system was replaced and now everything is moved by gravity. They also built a small cellar devoted to experimental wine-making projects, like producing white wine and even a sweet, white, Vin de Paille.
A new barrel cellar was created to allow each vintage to age without being moved. The new cellars are unique as they were designed to appear as though you were standing inside a barrel, with their curved roof design and the use of material that resembles oak, wood staves.
Character and Style of Chateau Palmer
Chateau Palmer produces a sensuous wine of beauty. Everything that makes up a great Bordeaux wine is found in Palmer. Complex aromatics filled with spice, truffle, violets, spring flowers, earth and leather scents. Full-bodied and rich, this wine personifies elegance in a Bordeaux wine.
When mature, the textures experienced in Chateau Palmer are unequaled in other Bordeaux wines. Silk wrapped in velvet, with layers of satin and ripe berries. Located next to Chateau Margaux, Palmer can produce a wine of equal quality in select vintages. And in some years, for example; 1959, 1961, 1966, 1970, 1983, 1989, 2004, 2008 and 2012, Palmer can produce a better wine!
The best vintages of Chateau Palmer are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1989, 1983, 1970, 1966, 1961, 1959, 1955, 1953, 1945, 1929, 1928, 1921 and 1900. As you can see, Chateau Palmer is one of the most consistent wineries in all of Bordeaux. The best vintages have the ability to age and evolve for decades and in the best cases, for more than 50 years!
It is almost impossible to pick a favorite vintage of Chateau Palmer, as they have made so many great wines. Perhaps from the older vintages, 1961 is the best wine from the estate. In the modern era, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 are all incredibly strong wines. These wines are so consistently good, it is impossible to choose a favorite in their youth. But if I had to choose one vintage, perhaps it would the ethereal 2018 Chateau Palmer. Else, please ask me again 20 years from now.
Chateau Palmer Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 66 hectare Bordeaux vineyard of Chateau Palmer is planted to 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot with vines that average 38 years of age. As you can see, the Cabernet Franc has been removed from the vineyards.
The amount of Petit Verdot has also been decreased over the years. While 47% Merlot makes the vineyards of Chateau Palmer unique in the Left Bank, at one point, it was even higher, at close to 60%!
A large percentage of Merlot was planted after 1945 due to the Miailhe family, who were one of the main owners of the vineyard at the time.
It is also interesting to note that previously Cabernet Franc was planted in the vineyards as well, but those vines have been removed. Chateau Palmer has old vines, some of which date back to more than 70 years of age. The vines are planted to a vine density of 10,000 vines per hectare.
Chateau Palmer is located in the Cantenac sector of Margaux. Most of the plots are situated on the plateau of Margaux. The best terroir is 30 hectares of vines on the plateau of Palmer, located just behind the chateau. Here you find gravel, sand, and clay soils.T hose vines were not part of the estate in 1855, which in part, might explain why Palmer did not merit a higher level in the Classification.
In addition, the majority of their vines are divided into 2 separate blocks located a bit to the south, close to Chateau dIssan. There you have more gravel, which explains why much of their Cabernet is planted there. Vines are also planted on the Cantenac plateau, which features more gravel and sand.
As you can see, the terroir of Chateau Palmer is a complex mosaic of terroirs and soils. In all, they total 18 different gravel, clay and sand soil types that can be further subdivided into 114 separate parcels. The blending of those soils and various grape varieties, clones, and rootstocks are what creates the magic of Chateau Palmer.
Most chateaux plant Merlot in clay soils. At Chateau Palmer, the Merlot is planted in gravel with clay soils. This is part of the reason for the elegance in the wines of Palmer.
Prior to 2012, there was a small parcel of vines located inside the Chateau Palmer vineyards that belonged to another estate, Chateau Vincent. For decades, since the 1960s, management of the vineyard and the making of the wine was handled by the team of Chateau Palmer. The wine was an even blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The majority of the harvest was placed into the wine of Palmer, while 40% was reserved for Chateau Vincent. That arrangement was terminated in 2012 when the owners of Chateau Palmer purchased the vines and merged them into the Chateau Palmer vineyards.
Biodynamic Farming at Chateau Palmer
2013 was the last vintage at Chateau Palmer that was not 100% biodynamically farmed. The move to Biodynamic farming was done at a fairly fast pace for Bordeaux, as they began experimenting with it starting slowly in 2008, with only 1 hectare of vines.
They stepped up the program in 2011 and shifted to 100% biodynamic farming in 2014. They were certified as being 100% biodynamic in 2017.
A large part of what makes the vineyards work at Chateau Palmer is the incredible level of biodiversity in the soils and land. More than just animals, plants, and insects, to help with reducing water in the soils, you find fruit trees in the middle of the vineyards.
At Chateau Palmer, they began experimenting in 2013 trying to reduce the amount of sulfites used. To accomplish this, they added indigenous yeast to grapes on the sorting table. Part of the organic farming techniques utilizes herbal teas in the vineyard to combat mildew, fungus, or other diseases.
Using Horsetail and Nettles grown on the property, Chateau Palmer produces herbal teas they pour on the vines as a type of fertilizer just before flowering. For their compost, they combine pruned vine woods, stems, sheep, goat and cow manure. The cows live at Chateau Palmer, so they are part of the environment as well. The sheep and goats are used to mow and maintain the cover crop.
Another experiment in the vineyards began in 2016 with the addition of 4 soundwave machines that emit tones and vibrations to help with the development of protein cells in the vines.
At Chateau Palmer, they are more than just biodynamic, they also embrace modern technology. They were one of the first estates to utilize optical sorting, starting with the 2009 vintage. Before picking, they use infrared cameras to film each parcel, to help determine the precise moment to harvest. This matters because the moment of picking is key in trying to reach phenolic ripeness.
Chateau Palmer Winemaking
To produce the wine of Chateau Palmer, selection is paramount here with 4 sorting’s that take place, two in the vineyard, cellars and a final optical sorting. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in 54 temperature-controlled, cone-shaped, stainless steel vats. The 54 different vats range in size from 85 hectoliters, split into 2 separate vats. Vinification of Chateau Palmer is done on a parcel by parcel basis and by grape variety.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. Although some of the production from time to time, Chateau Palmer is aged in an average of 50% to 70% new, French oak barrels for the first 12 months of the aging process before 40% of the wine is transferred to large, oak foudres for the remainder of the aging, which is usually between 18 to 20 months.
Starting with the 2015 vintage, no sulfur was used during the harvest and as little as possible is utilized during every step of the process in the hopes of gaining more purity in the wine. To maintain cleanliness in the wine, fermentation takes place at a cool 8° Celsius. When possible, they wait until after malolactic fermentation before adding any SO2.
In addition, the goal is to use as much natural yeast, avoiding commercial yeasts as possible.
Chateau Palmer produces between 8,000 and 10,000 cases per year. Alter Ego is about 8,000 cases per vintage. Starting with the 2009 Palmer, the estate began using the Prooftag system to guarantee customers the authenticity of their wine.
Palmer Alter Ego
Chateau Palmer and its Alter Ego are the two wines produced by the estate. Alter Ego made its debut with the 1998 vintage. The birth of Alter Ego coincided with the purchase of 8 hectares of vines, which became the heart and soul of Alter Ego.
Because Alter Ego comes from different plots than Palmer and is produced with a different blend than the Grand Vin, Chateau Palmer does not view this as a second wine. They produce and market the wine as its own, unique wine.
The vinification of Alter Ego takes place in the same cellars and vats as Chateau Palmer. The same technical team is in charge as well. But Alter Ego uses less new oak during the aging period. On average Alter Ego is aged in 25% to 40% new, French oak barrels for between 16 to 18 months.
If a reclassification ever took place, it would certainly deserve Fourth Growth Status. Prior to the creation of Alter Ego, Chateau Palmer produced La Reserve du General, which was considered as their second wine. Chateau Palmer also makes a small amount of white Bordeaux wine that is not available commercially.
Palmer “Historical XIX Century Wine”
In 2004, Chateau Palmer released their first vintage of a truly unique new wine to Bordeaux. Previously known as Palmer, “Historical XIX Century Blend,” this newly renamed wine, “Historical XIX Century Wine” was fascinating to smell, taste, and dream about. Only 100 cases of this beauty were produced for the initial vintage.
The wine, a blend of 85% Bordeaux from the vineyards of Chateau Palmer and 15% Syrah from the Rhone was produced as an homage to a wine that might have been released in the 19th century.
The Bordeaux varietal’s are 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes from Palmer are not young vines. They were chosen because the managing director, winemaker Thomas Duroux felt they would blend best with Syrah. The production of the wine depends on the vintage. For example, it was not produced in 2005 as it would have required too much Syrah to overcome the strong Bordeaux characteristics.
Palmer’s “Historical XIX Century Wine” has been produced in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2013. However, tastings have shown, subsequent vintages have not been as good as the debut 2004 release. The production of Historical XIX Century Wine has also increased since 2004, its debut vintage.
A few interesting points regarding labeling laws in Bordeaux relate to this wine. Notice, the wine does not say Bordeaux. The wine needs to be sold a Vin de Table as all the grapes do not come from Bordeaux or Palmer. Also, Palmer and their Chateau logo have been removed from their historic label as all the grapes did not come from their estate.
As a Vin de Table, the wine does not carry a vintage date. But, when you look at the bottom of the label, please note the lot #… L 20.04 which corresponds to the vintage date, 2004. The top of the capsule reads XIX.
This changed with the release of the 2010 Historical XIX Century blend. From that point forward, the wine will be sold under the Vin de France designation. The lot numbering will remain the same. The wine will be marked L20.10.
Chateau Palmer White Wine
Chateau Palmer also produces a small amount of dry, white Bordeaux wine. The production of white Bordeaux wine at the estate might seem like a new experiment. But that is not the case. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was customary at Chateau Palmer to produce a small amount of white wine for the personal use of the owners. That practice was discontinued at some point in the 1930s.
At the start of the 21st century, that tradition was revived. The first vintage for Vin Blanc de Palmer was in 2007. The wine is produced from an unusual blend of 50% Muscadelle, 35% Loset and 15% Sauvignon Gris. Production hovers at close to 100 cases.
If you think a 100 case production is going to make that wine hard to find, just try and locate one of the rare bottles of experimental, sweet white Bordeaux wines produced by Palmer from 100% Merlot Blanc!
When to Drink Chateau Palmer, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Palmer is not a wine for drinking young. The wine can be tannic, concentrated and reserved, in its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-4 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.
Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Palmer is usually better with at least 12-15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Palmer offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15-45 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Palmer with Wine, Food, Pairings
Chateau Palmer is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Palmer is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Palmer is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
Château Palmer Wine Tasting Notes
77 Vintages 1,234,255 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2023
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Violets, tobacco, blackberries, cigar box, spice, and black cherries form the perfume. On the palate, the wine is silky, lush, polished, and fresh. There is length, purity, velvety tannins, and a racy, energetic, fruit-packed finish, with an exotic touch of cardamon in the backend that adds even more of an edge. The almost seamless finish resonates for 50 seconds. The wine blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. 14% ABV, 3.75 pH. The harvest took place September 11 - October 5. Waiting the few extra days in September made the difference in the wine this year. Yields are a scant 32 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2029-2065. 97-99 Pts. 2,289 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2023
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Tobacco, cedar, savory herbs, flowers, currants, cocoa, spice, and licorice pop without asking in the nose. On the palate, the wine is even better. Medium-bodied, racy, fresh, vibrant, and also loaded with fresh, vivid, black, red, and blue fruits, spice, mint, and dark chocolate. The end note lingers with the perfect blend of refreshing acidities, and lush, silky, velvety fruits. The wine is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. 13.9% ABV, 3.75 pH. Drink from 2028-2043. 92-94 Pts. 1,081 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2022
Château Palmer (Margaux)
With a dark, radiating purple, black hue, the wine explodes from the glass with its bouquet of lilacs, violets, roses, white flowers, cinnamon, and clove perfume. The wine is pure silk in texture, blending its salty, minerality with sweetness in the black and red fruits. But here, it its the texture, length, and purity in the fruits that stand out. The elegant, sensuous finish moves from red to black to red, with a refreshing mint note that holds your focus for over 50 seconds. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.4% ABV, 3.79 Ph. The harvest took place September 7 - October 5, making this one of the longer harvests at Palmer. Yields are a scant 22 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2065. 97-99 Pts. 8,824 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2022
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Roses, violets, black currants, all spice, currants, and black cherries crowd into the perfume. On the palate, the medium-bodied wine is silky, sensuous, polished, and refined. The fruits are ripe, vibrant, sweet, and fresh. The red pit fruit finish, with its cocoa accent, and refined character is all about its purity and textural profile. The wine is a blend of 51% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. 14.2% ABV, 3.73 pH. Drink from 2025-2042. 93-95 Pts. 6,713 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Clearly, one of the wines of the vintage, this is superb, and quite an accomplishment for the vintage. The wine is rich, concentrated, firm, and elegant with layers of black and red fruits, spice, dried flowers, tobacco leaf, and cocoa. The palate is loaded with sweet, ripe, energetic berries, dark chocolate, plums, espresso and a hint of mint. The refined, lifted end notes keep on going. With some age, this could score even higher. The wine blends 56% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Yields were a paltry 22 hectoliters per hectare, so not much wine was produced. Drink from 2027-2060. 2,313 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Deep ruby, garnet in color, the wine shows off its flowers, cocoa, black plum and dark cherry, with a Cuban cigar note coming in at the end of the nose with ease. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, poised and vibrant. The wine offers a lush, dark chocolate, plum, currant and coffee bean tinted mid-palate in the vibrant, lifted finish. The wine is blend of 56% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. 13.4% ABV, pH 3.72. Yields were low at a paltry 22 hectoliters per hectare. 55% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. Picking took place September 24 - October 14. Drink from 2028-2055. 94-96 4,481 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2021
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Crushed stones, flowers, red with black cherries and a marine influence sets the tone in the perfume. On the palate, the medium-bodied wine is soft, silky, and vibrant, making the perfect backdrop for all of the wines sweet, ripe plums, mint and spice notes in the refined finish. The wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, making this the highest percentage of Cabernet ever used in any vintage of Alter Ego. Drink from 2025-2040. 857 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Flowers and black cherries on the nose open the wine. On the palate, the medium-bodied wine is soft, juicy, fresh, clean and forward, with a polished, spicy, cocoa-dusted currant and plum finish. The wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, making this the highest percentage of Cabernet ever used in any vintage of Alter Ego. Drink from 2023-2038. 89-90 2,264 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Violets, lilacs, and roses covet their spot in the perfume before you find all of its black, and red cherries, black currants, blackberries, cigar wrapper, and earthy notes. While the perfume is intoxicating, it is on the palate where the magic happens due to its silky, sexy-textures, and layers of pure, sweet, ripe, delicate, yet concentrated layers of fruit. The tannins are the text-book description of refined, leaving you with a seamless finish showcasing its purity, and sensuality for over 50 seconds. I have a sneaking suspicion that with time, my score is going to rise, as it feels like there is a lot more going on here that is still holding in reserve. Drink from 2027-2065. 4,606 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023 |
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2020
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Just a superb wine that showcases its elegant style with ease. Initially you find a floral bouquet of purple, white and red flowers before moving on to its wealth of ripe, deep, dark red fruits, spice, earth and kirsch. Refined, silky, fresh and long, the graceful finish is already a treat in your glass. If a reclassification were ever considered, this would rank quite high. You can enjoy this just about on release, or age it for 2 decades. Drink from 2024-2044. 5,007 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023 |
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2019
Château Palmer (Margaux)
The first thing you notice is the showy display of lilacs and roses before moving on to the currants, plums, cigar wrapper, black cherries and earthy nuances. As captivating as the perfume is, it is the sensuous, rich, silky, elegant, fresh, vibrant palate presence with its layers of perfectly ripe, black and red fruits. There is length, lift and longevity here with a vibrancy that resonates. The finish builds and expands as the fruits linger. Like all great vintages of Palmer, give this time to develop allowing the wine to gain complexity and additional nuances. This should age effortlessly for decades. Drink from 2032-2060. 16,224 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022 |
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2019
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Flowers and red fruits is the name of the game here. From start to finish, the wine exudes freshness, soft, silky textures and a wealth of earthy, fresh, tobacco tinted, red pit fruits. Forward in style, this will be gorgeous in its youth, but it will age for up to two decades as well! Drink from 2023-2040. 5,530 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022 |
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2018
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Inky dark in color, the wine is fully opaque. On the palate you find an incredibly concentrated, fresh, vibrant, lively, opulent and refined, wine, which is a rare combination. Texturally, this is all silk and velvet hitting every nook and cranny of your taste receptors. The violet infused, earthy, deep perfume along with the layers of decadently ripe, sweet, lush fruits is impossible to resist. There is a gorgeous sense of purity that shines though on the finish making this even better. The finish with all its plum, dark cherry, cocoa and boysenberry exceeds the 60 second mark. This is a legendary vintage for Palmer. But give it time. It is easy to enjoy this in its youth, but its best days are in the future, so give it 12-15 years of age and enjoy it for at least 2 decades or more after that. Blended from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, 14.3% ABV, .the yields were shockingly low at only 11 hectoliters per hectare -- conceding only one cluster per vine --the exact same yield Palmer experienced in 1961! 7,269 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021The color of a dark, almost opaque ruby gemstone, this is the densest vintage Palmer has ever produced. However, the wine is not heavy, it is light on its feet. Opulently styled, this is velvet instead of silk. There is more darkness in the fruit than you usually encounter here, along with a chalky minerality in the finish. The end note with its ocean of boysenberry, dark cocoa and black plum liqueur, vibrantly coats your mouth, palate, teeth and gums and stays there for over 60 seconds! The wine was made from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place September 13 to October 15 and the wine reached 14.3% with a pH 3.83. Due to severe attacks of downy mildew in 2018, the yields were shockingly low at only 11 hectoliters per hectare -- conceding only one cluster per vine --the exact same yield Palmer experienced in 1961! No Alter Ego was produced in 2018. If you have the disposable income, this is one of the great vintages of Chateau Palmer. 98-100 Pts 8,486 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2017
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Flowers, exotic spice, black cherry, plum and licorice are announced as soon as the wine the hits the glass. Sensuous, sexy, silky and finesse driven, the red and dark fruits express a purity from start to finish. Give it five to ten years to gain softness and nuance. The wine was made from 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place September 20 to September 29 and the wine reached 13.2% with a pH 3.75. Fifty-five percent of the harvest was used to produce the Grand Vin and 15 hectares of vines, which normally go into Alter Ego were damaged by the frost. 6,713 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2017
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Fresh-picked flowers, thyme, herbs, espresso and cherry griotte rise to the surface, just for the asking. Refined, silky with a hint of dust on the tannins, the wine spotlights elegance and purity of fruit. Produced from a blend of 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the harvest took place September 20 to September 29. 4,237 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Still showing the color of a barrel sample, the wine is full bodied, silky, polished, fresh, vibrant and pure. The wine tastes as if you ran into the vineyard and grabbed a handful of grapes off the vine, and you ate them just moments before they were crushed. The fruit has so much purity, energy and sensuality, it is impossible not to go back to the glass for another sniff, swirl and sip. Another interesting point is the addition of a gentle chalky minerality in the finish, adding a beautiful layer to the complexity. This is easily one of the great vintages of Chateau Palmer and will age for decades with no effort. 9,528 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019If you are seeking sexiness, purity of fruit, silky textures and an incredible blend of freshness, precision and sensuality that can age for decades, you came to the right place. This is just a great wine. 8,759 Views Tasted May 20, 2018A richly-colored, attention-seeker whose nose pops with truffle, tobacco, black cherries, cigar box, plum and cocoa. Silky, velour textures and polished tannins embrace juicy, sweet, fresh, pure plums and a finish that builds as it lingers. This sublime wine was produced from a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.1% ABV with a pH of 3.75. Currently being aged in 65% new, French oak barrels, the wine represents 50% of the harvest, which took place between October 3 and October 18. This is the third vintage that was farmed using 100% biodynamic farming techniques, allowing Palmer to become fully certified 12,672 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2016
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Elegance, refinement, purity and silky textures are all over the place here. With a strong sense of florality, the wine also comes with a beautiful array of cherries and plums, freshness, a touch of licorice, spice box and wet earth. The fruit is sweet and pure, but it's the ease and elegance of the overall character that steals the show here. Give it 5-7 years and enjoy it for a decade after that. 6,488 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2019Fresh-picked flowers, espresso and hints of dark chocolate-covered black cherries come right out with ease in this elegant, refined wine. Expect bright, sweet fruits with lift, length and soft tannins. Produced from a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 12 % Petit Verdot, this wine reached 13% ABV with a pH of 3.65. The harvest took place October 3 to October 18. 6,516 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2016
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Semi-quiet at the moment. But with a bit of air and coaxing, you find spice-box, boysenberry, dark chocolate and tobacco notes in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, refined, elegant, sophisticated and fresh. The finish, with its cocoa-dusted, ripe red fruits is soft and bright. Give this a few more years and it should be an even better wine. 9,513 Views Tasted Nov 9, 2020 |
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2015
Château Palmer (Margaux)
This is extraordinary. The wine is so silky, it is effortless to taste and drink. The fruits paint your palate. But the wine is light on its feet. Sensuous, sexy and racy, the fruit offers a melange of red and black cherries, plums. In the finish you find a griotte sensation that sticks with you for close to 60 seconds. This perfect mix of elegance and purity should age effortlessly for decades. 9,771 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Rich in color, the attention-seeking nose pops with truffle, tobacco, black cherries, cigar box, plum and cocoa. Silk and velvet textures with polished tannins, juicy, sweet, fresh, pure plums and a finish that builds as it lingers. This sublime wine was produced from a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, reaching 14% ABV with a pH of 3.85. Currently being aged in 65% new French oak barrels, the wine represents 50% of the harvest, which took place between September 22 and October 7. The second year produced using only 100% biodynamic farming techniques has created one of the great vintages for Palmer of all time! With age, like all the top vintages for the estate, this will prove to be an extraordinary wine! 97 - 98 Pts 6,365 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2016 |
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2015
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Rocks, stones, flowers, wet earth and inky, dark cherry, plum and even darker chocolate notes are all over the place. From the nose to the palate, you find the same expressions and complexities. The wine is richly textured, sensuous, silky and sweet. There is length and purity, This is better than any vintage of Palmer from the 70's, most of the 80's and the 90's! This is the best vintage of Alter Ego ever produced. 6,381 Views Tasted May 21, 2018With a nose packed with flowers, dark, red fruits, espresso, thyme and earth, this wine is sensuous, silky, ripe and lush, exuding freshness, polished tannins and a beautiful sense of purity and balance in the fruit. Clearly, this is the best vintage for Alter Ego and one to watch for as Alter Ego is often priced below other wines in the appellation due to its lack of classified growth status. Produced from a blend of 52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, this wine reached 14% ABV with a pH of 3.85. The fruit was picked September 22 through October 7. 93 - 95 Pts 5,496 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2016 |
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2014
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Espresso bean, truffle, floral, plum and earthy scents pop quickly as your nose meets the glass. A polished and elegant debutante wrapped in a gown of velvety tannins, this wine is fresh, clean and pure leaving you with a sensuous drape of lingering fruits. This wine is the first fully biodynamic vintage for the chateau. Produced from a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, the reached 13.5 ABV with a pH of 3.6. It represents 55% of the harvest, which took place between September 22 and October 14. 94-95 Pts 8,549 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
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2014
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Medium-bodied, elegant, refined and forward, there is fruit with an earthy charm, length and slightly sandy tannins in the finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot. 3,912 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2017A ready nose of fig, blackberry and earthy notes, this wine is medium-bodied, round and fresh on the palate with a gentle, fresh plum, cherry and cocoa finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot. Like Palmer, this is the first vintage of Alter Ego that was produced using 100% Biodynamic farming techniques. 90-92 Pts 6,968 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
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2013
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Forest floor aromas are coupled with truffle and black plum in this soft, round wine. Featuring plenty of finesse, the wine ends with polished, fresh black raspberries and a little bit of dust in the finish. This wine is about elegance and purity of fruit. For tasters that feel 2009 and 2010 were too much, this is your year. From 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Merlot, the wine reached 13% ABV and will be aged in 55% new French oak barrels. With yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare, only 33% of the wine was used for the Grand Vin. 2013 is the last vintage not to be farmed 100% Biodynamically. Starting in 2014, everything will be 100% Biodynamic. According to Thomas Duroux, with 2013, the biodynamic farming helped balance the vintage. Without it, 2013 would have been much more challenging. The property will property will produce a 2013 historical blend. 91-93 Pts 4,736 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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2013
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Showcasing scents of light blackberry, espresso bean and black raspberry, this light, clean wine has medium body and a red berry finish that will drink well on release. This was produced from a blend of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. 88-89 Pts 8,265 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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2012
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Silky, sensuous and earthy, the wine is elegant, polished and long, leaving you with sweet, ripe, fresh blackberries and plums that expand and gain in complexity as they sit on your palate. 7,915 Views Tasted May 15, 2015From an assemblage of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Interestingly, this is the first time Petit Verdot was included in the blend of Palmer and Alter Ego. Chateau Palmer reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.75. The wine will be aged in 70% new French oak for between 18 and 20 months. Deep in color with scents of licorice, flowers and fresh juicy plums, the wine is silky, round and soft with a fresh black raspberry and herbal finish. This is truly successful for the vintage. 94-97 Pts 8,292 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
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2012
Alter Ego (Margaux)
Refined, elegant and floral, the wine is medium-bodied, round, polished and focuses on its core of soft-textured, fresh, ripe red berries. This is ready to drink. 4,280 Views Tasted Jun 26, 2020 |
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2012
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Floral, earth and boysenberry aromas, with a forward, lush, open personality, ending with sweet, soft, dark, fresh red berries. 3,994 Views Tasted May 15, 201551% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot, which reached 13.4% ABV. The wine will be aged in 30% new French oak for between 16 and 18 months. With a ruby color, flowers, cherry blossoms, earth, fennel and spice notes lead to a sweet, cherry filled-wine with dusty tannins, supple textures and a fresh, spicy cassis finish. 90-92 Pts 5,834 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
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2011
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Cedar chest, forest floor, blackberry, oak and wet earth aromas create the perfume. But the show really gets going on the palate with its sweet, soft, round, fresh black raspberries, cherries and hint of fennel that lingers and expands in the silky finish. Knowing the wine of chateau Palmer, I expect this to keep improving in the bottle. This is a contender for the wine of the vintage in 2011. 4,797 Views Tasted May 21, 2014From an assemblage of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 13.5% ABV. Flowers, boysenberry, truffle and earthy scents are found in the perfume. Soft, supple and bright, the wine ends with fresh, sweet, crisp cassis and black raspberry. 93-94 Pts 5,709 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
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2011
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Chalky, black raspberry and fresh herbal aromas , medium bodied, inviting silky textures and a tannic, black cherry, olive tapenade finish that will be better with a few years of age. 4,368 Views Tasted May 21, 2014Blending 48% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and for only the second time, 15% Petit Verdot, the wine opens with mocha, cocoa, truffle and cassis. In the mouth, the wine offers chocolate, cherry and dusty tannins. 89-90 Pts 7,019 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
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2010
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Compelling aromatics set off by flowers, blackberries, truffle and black licorice. In the mouth, the texture is pure silk and velvet. The wine is refined, polished, soft, fresh and elegant, with a long, sweet, fresh, rich, sensuous finish that remains on your palate for close to 40 seconds. The wine was made from a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 14.5% ABV. 13,891 Views Tasted May 8, 2013An intoxicating perfume kicks this off with scents of flowers, gun powder, mocha, blackberry flowers, caramel, licorice, plums, caramel and truffle aromas. The velvety textures, rich, chocolate, blackberry, plum and black cherry flavors are expansive. The long, pure, sensuous finish remains in your mouth for over 40 seconds. 8,384 Views Tasted Jul 20, 2012Palmer From an assemblage of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Petit Verdot, the wine reached 14.5% ABV. The beautiful, deep, purple color is almost opaque. Floral aromas are complicated with cassis, coffee, smoke, truffle, earth and boysenberry scents which jump from the glass. With intense purity, tannins that feel like hand polished silk and a beautiful, pure, long, harmonious rich finish, there is not a hard edge to be found. This opulent wine is a treat for the senses. 96-98 Pts 7,546 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2011 |
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2010
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
With an attention seeking floral, black raspberry, cocoa powder, licorice and spice box perfume, the wine feels great on your palate with its silky tannins. Filled with fresh plums, licorice and elegant textures, this is the finest vintage of Alter Ego I have tasted yet. Aside from the 1999, 2010 Alter Ego is better than any vintage of Palmer produced by the estate during the 90’s. 92-93 Pts 8,171 Views Tasted Jul 20, 2011Alter Ego 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Merlot produce a blend that offers blackberry, floral, cassis and bitter chocolate aromas. Powerful for Alter Ego, the wine ends with a smooth, fresh, refined finish. While the wine reached 14.4, there is no sensation of heat. 91-93 Pts 7,742 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2011 |
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2009
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Just starting to knock on the door of secondary aromatics, you can peek into the wine and find truffle, flowers, tobacco leaf, smoked cherries and spice. But that is only the beginning. Once you taste the wine and you feel those sensuous textures as the wine glides across your palate, you know this is special. The wine has more than ample density, but it is not heavy. The lift in the mid-palate keeps all those layers of ripe, dark red, earthy fruits alive. Vibrant, elegant and silky, the end note remains with you for at least 50 seconds or more. If you like more youthful fruit in your wine, you can drink this now. If you want to enjoy the wine as it heads to its peak, give it another decade of rest. This should age effortlessly for decades. 5,496 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019Inky in color, the wine explodes with fresh roasted espresso, floral, tobacco, black cherry, caramel, truffle and blackberry jam. In the mouth, the wine is pure silk, velvet and richness. Opulent in texture, this dense, sensuous, sexy wine finishes with intense, fresh, complex layers of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, jam, spice, chocolate and truffle. This is a decadent style of Chateau Palmer. 7,734 Views Tasted May 7, 20122009 Palmer is dark colored. Liqueur of dark berries, wood, Asian spice, cassis, and floral scents comprise the perfume. Opulent, polished, and elegant, this rich, concentrated wine is pure silk and velvet. The wine finishes with smooth notes of black raspberries. 95/97 Pts 8,806 Views Tasted Aug 26, 2010 |
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2009
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Fully mature, combining its soft, elegant, refined, medium-bodied character with fresh, red cherries, plums, flowers and earthy nuances. There is no reason for further aging. 8,423 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2019 |
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2008
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Obviously, it\'s been far too long since I last tasted this gem. The wine is rich, full, sensuous, floral and sexy. The fruit is fresh, sweet, and pure. The tannins are silky and while it is not fully developed if you like your Bordeaux as it\'s just starting to add nuances, but it\'s still on the fruit side, with 1-2 hours of air, this really hits the spot! 4,495 Views Tasted Nov 2, 2018Deep ruby in color, espresso bean, caramel, earth, smoke. Boysenberry, floral and black cherry aromas lead to a full bodied, rich, round, plush Margaux. In the mouth, the wine offers freshness and purity of flavor. The plush, concentrated, supple style of Palmer finishes with dark chocolate covered black cherry. 6,792 Views Tasted Mar 27, 20132008 Palmer begins with a perfume filled with blackberry liqueur, vanilla, spice oak, floral and truffle scents. Rich concentrated and filled with layers of ripe, opulent fruit, this elixir ends with an intense, refined, sensuous finish. This is a serious wine and for Palmer, it remains well priced. 96 Pts 9,575 Views Tasted Jul 20, 20102008 Château Palmer has an amazingly deep color. The complex nose shows cassis, oak, spice, flowers and some fresh, lightly jammy fruit. The wine is nicely concentrated with a serious depth of flavors. The tannins are long and silky. Opulent waves of dense boysenberry and blackberry endlessly caress your palate. This is a Palmer of freshness, balance, purity, and opulence. 95-98 Pts 9,737 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
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2008
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Full bodied, rich, sensuous, elegant, and expressive, this still young wine already serves up a floral, tobacco, dark cocoa, black cherry and plum profile. The tannins are soft, the fruit displays a purity and symmetry that even its youth, or perhaps adolescence, is impossible not to find. Palmer is a long-term ager, so while you can pop a cork, or over the next 5 years, this will probably really kick in before the wine hits 20 years of age. 3,434 Views Tasted Sep 17, 20182008 Alter Ego is not considered a second wine by Chateau Palmer. The blend differs from Palmer and the fruit comes from different terroir. This difference produces a perfume of black cherry with hints of coffee, earth and spice. Elegant in style, with soft textures and a medium to full bodied texture, this wine should deliver pleasure early. 91 Pts 7,217 Views Tasted Jul 20, 201008 Palmer Alter Ego has an attractive, ruby colored hue. Red and black fruits along with some tell tale floral aromas of Margaux are in the perfume. This medium bodied wine finishes with raspberry and black cherry notes. 90-92 Pts 7,038 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
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2007
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Medium bodied, silky, smooth and fresh, the wine relies on elegance, refinement and charm. Probably fully mature, while maligned in its youth in the market place, it is drinking in the sweet spot today. 5,651 Views Tasted May 4, 2016Deep ruby in color, espresso bean, caramel, earth, smoke. Boysenberry, floral and black cherry aromas lead to a full bodied, rich, round, plush Margaux. In the mouth, the wine offers freshness and purity of flavor. The plush, concentrated, supple style of Palmer finishes with dark chocolate covered black cherry. 5,867 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013 |
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2006
Château Palmer (Margaux)
A few hours in the decanter added a lot to the wine, softening the tannins, adding body and roundness to the textures. The fruit is refined, the nose is complex and there is good length. This is starting to open, but it's still young. Give it several more years and this should be quite charming. 7,002 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2017Showing some maturity in the color, the wine pops with cigar box, mocha, plum, flowers and spice box notes. On the palate, the wine offers silky tannins, fresh, dark red fruits, spice and a real sweetness in the fruits in the end note. This is quite charming now, and while it avoids much of hard tannins found in many of the wines from the Medoc, the wine is only now starting to become civilized. Give it another 5-10 years which will help it will really blossom and expand. 6,983 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Effort is needed at this stage of development to find the smoky, tobacco, forest floor, blackberry, coffee, cassis and truffle scents. This masculine, firmc style of Palmer needs time to soften and come together. The fresh, tannic, black cherry filled finish is clean and pure, but it’s not much fun to drink today. I’d hold this for at least a decade, or longer based on how good the 1966 and 1970 Palmer are drinking today. 5,449 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013From a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot, this beautiful Margaux wine is filled with floral, smoke, caramel, blackberry, earth, truffle, tobacco and plum aromatics. Suave, sophisticated and supple, this very young wine needs at least another decade before it begins to display the full range of its true, rich, opulent, fresh, pure character. 7,180 Views Tasted Sep 27, 2011 |
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2006
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Fully developed, medium bodied wine that straddles the fence between refined and structured, with a fresh, bright, cherry, earthy, tobacco note that carries through from start to finish. 6,550 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Fresh, bright, energetic and ready for prime time drinking, this medium bodied, soft, polished, spicy, tobacco and cherry driven wine is fresh, clean and open. 4,982 Views Tasted May 28, 2014Tobacco, truffle, earth and black cherry scents open to a supple, soft textured, refined Margaux wine that is drinking perfectly today. It will improve a bit over the next few years, but if you want to start opening it now, you’ll be happy you did. 7,023 Views Tasted May 7, 2012 |
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2005
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Another fabulous showing for this stunning wine. Sensuous, silky, fresh, pure and concentrated, this supple textured, heavily perfumed, silky, pure, rich, cashmere, refined wine can be enjoyed now and over the next 2-3 decades! 7,722 Views Tasted Jun 23, 2021Sexy in its texture and boquet. The nose has this blackberry liqueur motif, with a great purity of fruit. The addition of spice box, cedar, tobacco and floral elements just increases the complexity. Silk and velvet textures accompany the wealth of sweet, ripe fruits. Due to its velvet nature, you can enjoy this now, but patient consumers that are willing to wait another 5 year or so, will be amply rewarded. 9,288 Views Tasted Jan 20, 2018The wine pops with an attention seeking nose of truffle, cigar box, licorice, wet earth that are the first thing you notice. I took my first taste and right off the bat, there was no way I was spitting this beauty. I really cannot say if it was the pure silk and velvet, texture, or the wealth of perfectly ripe, sweet fruits that won me over. Frankly, it was so good, I did not care. All I wanted was more wine in my glass. I reached for the bottle and poured it too! The wine was made from a blend of October % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place from September 22 to October 7. 9,815 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015Deep ruby in color, tobacco, earth, truffle, blackberry, mineral, violet, black cherry and an assortment of forest scents greet your nose, which responds with wanting to know more about the 2005 Palmer. Your palate agrees to dig in finding layers of plush, opulent, decadent textures in the :50 second finish. There is an intensity of flavor and purity of fruit that coupled with the sensuous textures, leaves you happy you own this wine, or with the desire to purchase it. With these silk and velvet tannins, you can drink it young. But wait a decade you’ll be rewarded with a great tasting experience. 11,400 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013This is a concentrated, complex and very polished wine. The tannins are long and fine. The finish tastes like chocolate coated black fruit with complex licorice accents. This will develop very well. This is an outstanding wine with fabulous Palmer character. 15,238 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2007 |
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2005
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Fully in its prime, with silky soft, elegant textures, floral and cherry notes and a medium bodied, refined palate feel. 91 Pts 4,666 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015Spicy black and red plums, licorice, earth, tobacco and truffle scents pair well with the medium bodied, refined, soft, elegant silky textures. This is a Margaux wine of finesse, ending with sweet, ripe, red and black, spicy fruits. This is drinking well today and should remain at this level and improve over the next decade. 7,389 Views Tasted Oct 7, 2011 |
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2004
Château Palmer (Margaux)
30 minutes in the decanter is all it takes for the wine to unfurl , and show off its display of dried flowers, cherry pipe tobacco, spice, and wet earth perfume. The palate is even better with its soft, elegant, fresh red plum and cherry profile. If the finish was just a bit longer, it would score even higher. Drink from 2023-2038. 3,150 Views Tasted Dec 17, 2023Rich, concentrated, silky, fresh, and fragrant, the strong notes of flowers, red pit fruits, and black currants, earth, cedar, and tobacco take no effort to find. But it is the elegant, refined expression with its length and gorgeous sense of purity on the palate that owns the day. Clearly, this is in contention for wine of the vintage. 6,645 Views Tasted Sep 7, 2021What a beautiful nose. Now you find cinnamon, cloves, violets, cigar wrapper, smoke, cherries and a wisp of licorice in the background. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh, refined and with a fabulous sense of purity and symmetry, the finish is all about the silky, earthy, cherries, smoke and a hint of very dark cocoa in the lengthy finish. With 60 minutes of air, this was showing perfectly. As a tip, this is an undervalued bottle of Palmer. If you want to experience Palmer at maturity, this is your best bet in the marketplace. The wine and this note is dedicated to CB. Palmer was always your favorite wine. You are missed. 4,947 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2020Floral, sweet cherries, truffle, cocoa, licorice and black raspberries open the complex aromatics. Pure silk and velvet in textures, this wine serves up a soft, sexy delicious, spicy dark red berries, plums and tapenade. Drink now, or age it for more complexity. This is one of the top wines of the vintage and marks the debut of Thomas Duroux at the estate. 5,911 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015The debut vintage of Palmer for Thomas Duroux is filled with earth, forest floor, blackberry, truffle, tobacco, floral and spice aromas. Full bodied and displaying luscious, ripe, sweet, spicy black cherry flavors, this is supple, round and velvety in texture. You can drink this now, or wait a decade, when it will be more complex. 6,481 Views Tasted Mar 27, 20132004 Palmer will drink well young for Chateau Palmer. This is good for consumers not willing to wait as Palmer usually takes at least 10-20 years before it matures. Filled with cassis, blackberry, spice, earth and floral aromas, this full bodied, silky wine is elegant and rich. The long pure, fresh finish feels like velvet in your mouth. This was a bottle popped and poured. A few more years will make this wine even better, This is the Palmer to buy in today's marketplace for price and quality. 12,977 Views Tasted Oct 17, 2010The first vintage for Thomas Duroux is big, rich and concentrated as was well as opulent. Tannic, but the tannins are elegant and ripe. Filled with ripe dark fruit, smoke, caramel, licorice and truffle, I'd start opening this velvety textured wine in 2015 and enjoy for at least 20 more years after that. 9,120 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008 |
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2004
Alter Ego de Palmer (Margaux)
Likable, easy to drink, delicate and mature, with soft red fruits, earth, tobacco and cedar, there is no reason to age this any longer. 4,131 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
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2003
Château Palmer (Margaux)
With an advanced color for its age, the wine displays cooked berries, earth and spice flavors in the aromas. The wine is medium bodied ending with a light, sweet and tart, earthy, cherry finish. This requires consumption. 5,548 Views Tasted Feb 18, 2015Light in color, there is discernible lightening at the edges. While there is a sensation of elegance, this light style of Palmer feels dry in the mouth. Drink up sooner than later as this will not improve. 3,908 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013Very light ruby in color, with a nose that is already expressing secondary aromas of tobacco, herbs, black cherries and leaf scents. Medium bodied and soft in texture, the wine ends with a kirsch and earth finish. This is not over ripe. But it is simple and will not not age well. I'd drink this over the next 5-10 years. 5,168 Views Tasted Oct 8, 2011 |
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2002
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Tobacco, forest floor, leaf and smoke create the perfume. Medium bodied with some dryness in the mouth, there is a minor sensation of green flavors, interspersed with the elegant, soft, red berry finish. 5,107 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013With an assemblage of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, the wine opens with a complex nose filled with truffle, oak, fresh blackberry, red and black plums and earthy aromas. Silky and round in texture, the finish is slightly marred by a hint of gritty tannins and olives on the end note. The wine needs more time to develop. Give it 5-8 years to let it develop and come together. 7,786 Views Tasted Dec 31, 2011 |
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2001
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Light in color, and rapidly approaching maturity, this medium bodied, elegant, soft Palmer is filled with bright, fresh cherries, earth and spice. This is not a wine to age for a long time. I’d drink this over the next decade. 4,643 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2014Intensely floral in the perfume, followed by plum, cocoa, cassis, tobacco and earth. Soft, polished, medium bodied and silky, the wine is showing great today. If you own a bottle, pop a cork! 4,883 Views Tasted Feb 21, 2013 |
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2000
Château Palmer (Margaux)
This bottle was much better than the one tasted a few months ago. With the texture of pure silk, from the moment the wine left the glass, it was where it needed to be with its perfume seemingly created in a tobacco shop with flowers on every counter. Full-bodied, elegant, fresh and refined, the silky tannins and layers of sweet, ripe, soft red fruits on your palate sealed the deal. You can enjoy this for another 2 decades with ease. 5,617 Views Tasted Sep 15, 2021Stubbornly hanging on to its youth, the wine is rich, full-bodied, fresh and vibrant, with loads of sweet, ripe, spicy red and black fruits, earth, flowers, tobacco leaf and a touch of smoke. Structured to age, give it another 5 years to fill out and soften. 5,651 Views Tasted Jul 29, 2021It took 2 hours of air before the wine softened, opened and displayed its concentrated, silky, fresh, elegant, plum, cherry, tobacco, floral, earth and cigar box character. Concentrated, full-bodied and probably a slightly firmer, regal style of Palmer seems to be forming here. Give it another 5 years and we will know for sure. 4,558 Views Tasted Dec 22, 2020What a beauty from start to finish. Sexy, silky tannins, elegantly styled, with ripe, fresh, fruits, length, complexity and depth. A treat to drink at 17, and with age, it's going to get even better! 9,317 Views Tasted May 24, 2017Ruby in color, truffle, Asian spice, cedar wood, forest floor, tobacco and mineral scents open to a lush, sensuous, plush wine. Rich in texture, concentrated with flavor, this is all about purity, silk and velvet sensations and a long, opulent, plush finish. The wine was made from an unusual blend for Palmer using 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. The harvest took place from September 21 to October 7. 8,258 Views Tasted Jan 27, 2015Tobacco, truffle, fresh picked blackberries, flowers and cedar chest aromas created the aromatics. On the palate, the wine is filled with soft, sensuous, ripe, sweet berries. The wine is long, fresh, vibrant and youthful. Due to its opulent style, if you like your wines young, pop a cork. If you prefer more earthy, secondary notes with most or all of the tannins resolved, wait another decade. This bottle was not decanted. I imagine it would have shown better with some air before serving. 8,493 Views Tasted Feb 21, 2013With a head turning perfume filled with fresh picked flowers, licorice, smoke, blackberry liqueur, tobacco, slate and cocoa, this powerful vintage for Palmer offers a lush, tannic, rich wine. Opulent in texture, the wine ends with layers of sweet, ripe, spicy, velvet drenched dark berries. 5-10 more years is going add a lot of complexity to this already beautiful wine. 12,087 Views Tasted Sep 2, 2011This begins with an intense display of black fruit and black raspberry scents along with truffles, flowers, earth and a hint of citrus oil. The wine has great freshness and depth along with an intensity of flavor that keeps you interested. 13,502 Views Tasted Mar 5, 2010 |
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1999
Château Palmer (Margaux)
The first thing you notice is the bouquet of flowers in the perfume before discovering the essence of tobacco leaf, currants, plums and blackberries. The palate has lift, energy and layers of ripe sweet red and black fruits that linger. This is a beautiful Palmer that would be a success in any vintage. But, in 1999, this is a stunner! Drink from 2024-2040. 926 Views Tasted Oct 8, 2024Drinking at just about peak, the wine is intensely floral, with notes of roses, lilacs, and lavender. From there you find cigar box, tobacco, dark cherry, currant, and boysenberry, with a light touch of cocoa in the background. Popped and poured, the wine is silky, soft, lush, fresh, and spicy, with lift, freshness, and sweet, ripe, red fruits with peppery overtones on the backend. 4,959 Views Tasted Feb 15, 2022A beautiful nose of roses, black cherry, thyme, truffle and a light background note of cocoa make this fun to work with. On the palate, the wine shows silky, soft, textures, an elegant, fresh character and sweet cherries in the upbeat finish. This is fully mature. If you have a bottle, this is the sweet spot. I'd hit it over the next 10-12 years. 4,484 Views Tasted Feb 7, 2019The wine starts off with lilacs and thyme. With air you find cigar box, earth and unlit cigar wrappers. Lush, soft and silky, there is a refined quality to the ripe, dark, red fruits here that feels great. Decanted 45 minutes, this is drinking in the sweet spot today. It should continue at this high level for at least another decade. 7,234 Views Tasted Jul 26, 2018The color looks a bit advanced for its age, but that's the vintage. The nose is a treat, with its light dose of truffle, flowers, cherry pipe tobacco, incense, thyme and plum scents. Pure silk and velvet on the palate. The fruit displays a purity of sweet cherries. The medium bodied wine is fully mature and the fruit has just started to lighten. So, if you have this gem in your cellar, pop a cork, as it is not getting better with more age. This bottle was decanted about 45 minutes. Less air would probably be a bit better. The wine was made from blending 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. 6,726 Views Tasted Jun 3, 2017The first thing you notice is the purity of the blackberry liqueur, followed by truffle, cedar, tobacco, thyme and plum aromatics. While that gets your motor running, the sexy, silky, voluptuous textures and decadent profile make their debut, finishing with plush, sensuous, dark fruits. What a beauty! In contention for wine of the vintage, this is really drinking well today with 20/30 minutes of air. 7,708 Views Tasted Jun 16, 2016This is really showing great today. The earthy, floral, blackberry nose continues until you're ready for the polished, silky, elegant, fresh, sensuous wave of fruit that hits your palate. Satisfying and complete. There are few if any older vintages of Palmer that are this good, close to mature, and for Palmer, sell for this little money in the marketplace today. 6,901 Views Tasted Dec 3, 2015This beauty keeps getting better and better. With an hour of air, the nose popped, the wine softened and the elegance expected started to shine, leaving you with truffles, blackberries, tobacco and floral scents and a smooth, silky, fresh, sweet black cherry core of fruit. Perhaps my memory is fading, but this seems to be showing even younger than the past time I tasted it! 6,086 Views Tasted Feb 15, 2015Roasted berries, forest floor, earth, truffle, blackberry and cherry pie scents get you excited about the wine. In the mouth, this is pure elegance, opulent textures and fresh, ripe black cherries. This is drinking great today and with time, it will get better. But there is no reason to wait to enjoy this beautiful expression of Palmer. This is one of the top wines of the vintage and sells for a very fair price, for a top vintage of Chateau Palmer. 8,884 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013Tobacco, coffee, caramel, black raspberry, floral, lead pencil and cherry blossoms create the perfume. Silky, soft, refined and elegant in personality, this medium bodied vintage of Palmer is ready to drink. There is a lot of purity in the fruit, coupled with freshness, but it lacks the density of a great vintage. I'm not sure this will make old bones. I'd drink this over the next decade, or a little bit longer. 9,242 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2012Blackberries, boysenberries, coffee and cassis are only a harbinger of things to come. Very classy, stylish, sophisticated and elegant. Great concentration and balance. Still young. 99 will drink well early, but this is not close to maturity 5,677 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
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1998
Château Palmer (Margaux)
On the firm, masculine side of the style range for Chateau Palmer, the wine offers a spicy, earthy, red and dark berry nose, the wine is medium bodied, finishing with spicy cherries and cassis. Give it a few more years to soften and develop. 4,955 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013 |
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1996
Château Palmer (Margaux)
With its earthy, spicy, tobacco, cherry and truffle nose, this is close to mature. Medium bodied, with a slight, tannic edge, the wine finishes with a melange of spicy red fruits and fresh herbs. The wine was made from a bend of blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place from September 23 to October 6. 5,649 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013 |
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1995
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Light in color, this wine is already fully mature. Medium to light bodied, with tobacco, cedar wood, cigar box, cassis and forest floor notes, there is a hint of greenness in the soft, red berry finish. Drink up. 6,723 Views Tasted May 7, 2012In the nose, red fruits, earth, incense, truffle and spice. Soft in texture, the wine finishes with a fresh, cassis, kirsch and spice laden perfume. This lighter style of Palmer offers elegance along with charm, but lacks the depth and concentration found in the top vintages of this often stunning Margaux wine. While there is no hurry to drink it, I doubt it will improve. 8,687 Views Tasted Nov 21, 2011 |
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1994
Château Palmer (Margaux)
On the downhill slope, the wine is medium-bodied, with a crisp, bright red fruit character. The secondary notes are overtaking the fruit, leaving with you more tobacco, cedar, wet earth and forest aromas than crisp red fruit. A bit strict and firm in nature, with a leafy, herbal edge, this is not going to improve with age. 6,493 Views Tasted Oct 19, 2019 |
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1990
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Light ruby in color, this elegantly styled wine offers floral scents that were complicated by tobacco, sweet cherries, citrus and smoke. Soft and round, this fully mature ends with kirsch and cassis flavors. The wine was made from a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from September 18 to October 6. 12,548 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2013 |
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1989
Château Palmer (Margaux)
This elegant, charming beauty is loaded with floral, cherry blossom, earth and tobacco notes. Silky, soft, sweet and fresh, pop a cork, or age it another 5 years. Either way, this is a really fine Margaux. The wine was made from a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from September 6 to September 23, making this the earliest harvest in the history in the estate. 6,284 Views Tasted Feb 5, 201790 minutes of air added just the right amount of softness, silk and roundness to this beauty. Full bodied, concentrated, lush and packed with notes of violets, black cherries, wet earth and cigar box aromatics, the sweet fruit and the velvety textures bring everything together. 5,981 Views Tasted Feb 6, 2016What a beauty. This is what Bordeaux is all about. It's soft, silky and refined, yet, there is a wealth of ripe, pure fruit and a complex set of aromas. Popped and poured, this seems to say it's close to maturity, and while it could improve, it's drinking well today. 5,928 Views Tasted Sep 13, 2015What a beauty! With a complex floral and tobacco driven nose, the wine is pure silk on your palate. Still young, this is only going to get better. 6,169 Views Tasted May 7, 2014One of the stars of the vintage, this has everything going for it. The delicate, floral nose complicated by tobacco, licorice, cherries and plum is a treat. Silky, sensuous and sexy, the plush, ripe finish keeps on going. Drink now, or wait, because it’s only going to get better. 6,624 Views Tasted Mar 30, 2013Tobacco, truffle, floral, blackberry, forest floor and spice notes open to a silk and velvet textured wine. Sensuous, harmonious and polished, this delicious vintage of Palmer is showing great today, and it's only going to get better over the next several years. 8,071 Views Tasted Dec 4, 2012Violets, licorice, spice, creme de cassis, tobacco, earth, boysenberry, truffle and fresh blackberries with hints of cocoa make up the complex perfume of this beautiful Margaux wine. Full bodied and concentrated with layers of sweet, ripe, spicy, dark berries, the wine feels like pure, polished silk and velvet as it caresses your palate. This special vintage of Chateau Palmer has improved and fleshed out over the past year or two and might give the stunning 1983 Palmer a run for the money. Close to mature, this should continue to evolve and offer pleasure for at least another 20-25 or 30 years if well stored. 10,939 Views Tasted Oct 3, 2011A seductive nose of flowers, creme de cassis, plums, spice, truffle and tobacco perks up your senses. On the palate, this sensuous, opulent, richly textured Bordeaux wine feels like pure silk. With a long, deep, ripe, spicy, dark finish, this lush Margaux wine remains on your palate for over 40 seconds. With prices for current vintages at such high levels, Bordeaux lovers seeking stunning examples of Palmer should seek out 1983 and 1989, if they can be fond with solid provenance. 11,003 Views Tasted Jul 17, 2011This explodes from the glass with aromatics of violets, berries, cassis, tobacco, spice, and truffle. This full bodied wine is pure silk and velvet on your palate. With great concentration of fruit and flavors and an exotic mouth feel, this wine is still youthful. It will continue improving for at least another 2 decades. The wine ends with a blast of ripe boysenberry, mocha, and plum sensations in a sensuous style. 5,708 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2010Still young, with years of positive evolution ahead of it, this powerful, elegant, rich, ripe, floral, spice and cassis filled Bordeaux flows over your palate in waves of opulent, plush, elegant, ripe fruit. The perfume is so enticing, they should bottle it. 5,899 Views Tasted Mar 22, 2009This plush, sexy wine competes with many of the top Pomerols from the vintage. Layers and layers of ripe, decadent fruit pour over your palate. Deep, lush, lon g, complex and serious. Better than Margaux in this hot, early picked vintage. 5,693 Views Tasted Feb 27, 2008This opulent, rich, deeply concentrated, sensuous wine will develop into a legendary Palmer. Black fruits, coffee, earth and flowers tease and please your senses. The palate presence is perfectly balanced silk. 5,644 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006The nose had elements of wet forest, black fruits, earth, cedar and a liberal dose of spices. Very tannic, full bodied wine. Beautiful silky texture but it was showing slightly more tannin than I expected at this stage. 5,680 Views Tasted May 12, 2004 |
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1988
Château Palmer (Margaux)
A severe style of Palmer, with a strict, lean, personality, a bit too much acidity, and greeness in the finish. The wine was much better on the nose than on the palate. 5,893 Views Tasted May 24, 2017 |
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1986
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Better on the nose, with its earthy, tobacco, cigar box, cedar and cherry character, than on the palate, which like many wines from this vintage is on the strict side. This is a wine for consumers that prefer their Bordeaux on the classic side of the style range. The wine was made from a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from October 2 to October 16. 5,380 Views Tasted May 6, 2016 |
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1985
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Light in color, the perfume offered tobacco, truffle, forest, cherry, smoke and cigar box scents. Soft and seductive, this fully mature, soft, medium bodied, refined, charming vintage of Palmer will not improve from here. The wine was made from a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place from September 30 to October 13. 5,477 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2012 |
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1983
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Fully-mature, the nose, with its floral center was just great. Once past the initial nuances of red and purple flowers, you found a wealth of cigar box, tobacco leaf, and forest floor nose. Rich, full, long, and fresh, the finish, with its silky, supple textured, sweet, ripe, red fruits hit all the right notes. 3,179 Views Tasted Jul 3, 2022Drinking at peak maturity, everything is just great. The perfume, with its tobacco, roses, cedar, wet earth and cherries grabs you. On the palate, the wine is pure silk with no hard edges. This is effortless to drink. Splash decanting is all you need, this is fully developed. 3,354 Views Tasted May 16, 2021Refined, pure, elegant, fresh, concentrated, rich and vibrant, the aromatics, with their flowery leaning also provides a basket of earthy red fruits, spicy notes and tobacco. The silky finish wraps everything up nicely. It is impossible not to take sip after sip of this nectar. The only issue with this beauty is that the wine is finished long before you are ready! 4,902 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2020This is a superb wine. Elegant, silky, refined and sensuous, the wine hits the trifecta, it smells, feels and tastes great. There is not a hair out of place. Although, this bottle seemed a little less generous than other recently tasted bottles. This is clearly in its prime time drinking window. Will it improve? Maybe. But the risks outweigh the rewards, so if you have a bottle, pop that cork! 5,131 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2019Picture your glass packed with incense, flowers, tobacco and sweet cherries about to be swirled and you get the idea on the aromatics. Silky soft, polished tannins and earthy sweet, ripe, dark red fruits round out the experience. A splash decanting was all this beauty needed to get going. 4,560 Views Tasted Nov 8, 2017This is a stunning tasting experience that brings together concentration, complexity, sensuous, silky textures, complex aromatics and the ability to continue to age and improve for at least 2 more decades, if well stored. It's the wine of the vintage. An hour in the decanter really helps the experience. 6,521 Views Tasted Apr 2, 2016What a beauty. Grab a handful of silk, a portion of velvet, mix it with perfectly ripe plums, cherries, cassis and blackberry, toss in some truffle, tobacco and smoky cocoa, blend it all together and viola, you have an idea about 1983 Palmer. The wine was made from a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place from September 28 to October 13. 6,389 Views Tasted May 12, 2015Pure silk and velvet in texture, there are no hard edges, rough patches or missing links, this is intense pleasure from start to finish. Drinking great today, it's only going to get better and better! 7,238 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2014Talk about all the right stuff, the wine is pure silk and velvet with an intoxicating perfume of caramel, spearmint, ripe blackberries, flowers, truffle and cigar box. The opulent textures make up reach for the bottle to refill your glass. But don't rush it, as it gets better in the glass. While this is pricey, for a mature Bordeaux, it's one of the top choices for quality and price. If you want to know why people go crazy for older Bordeaux, or you already know and just want a special bottle, this is one of the top wines in the market today. 6,526 Views Tasted Aug 15, 2013It's always disappointing when a wine you know normally offers thrills and chills takes a turn in the wrong direction. Keep in mind, every bottle is different, especially when a wine is in its 3rd decade of life. This particular bottle smelt and tasted unclean. There were marked dirty scents along with the tobacco, earth and blackberry notes. The wine did not show its normally, opulent nature and instead tasted far too earthy. My guess is, this bottle was not stored correctly at some point in its life, and while a nice Bordeaux, it was not a great tasting experience. However, do not let this note dissuade you from this wine, which is normally a stellar vintage of Palmer. 7,296 Views Tasted Aug 28, 2012Violets, cassis, truffle, earth, spice and Cuban cigar aromas fill your glass. Pure silk and velvet in the mouth, this sensuous, seductive wine is what great Bordeaux is all about. The wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with layers of deep, suave, elegant, pure sensations of plums, cassis and blackberry. This is drinking great today and time will continue being good to this special Margaux as well. It should continue getting better for decades. 10,265 Views Tasted May 15, 2011This still looks young! Cassis, dark berries, flowers, coffee and five spice aromas put the spring in the aromatics step. Full bodied and packed with layers of silky, elegant, ripe fruit. The tannins are ripe and round. The long finish fills your mouth with purity, intensity of flavor, velvet laced textures, freshness and balance. This stunning Bordeaux wine ends with a long, ripe, plush, fresh blackberry filled finish. This special wine keeps getting better every time I taste it. Still young, this will age and improve for decades. 11,955 Views Tasted Jun 13, 2010Aromatics filled with deep black cherry and black raspberry fruits, orange rind, flowers, spice and cassis introduced you to the wine. The wine flows like pure velvet. This is deep and concentrated, as well as elegant , round and refined. Few wines express elegance married to power as well as the 83 Palmer. 7,916 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2009Truffle's, smoke, olives, pipe tobacco, earth and flowers are what the taster first notices. Very long and intense. This full bodied, concentrated, elegant, polished wine finishes with soft, chocolate covered, blackberries. 6,902 Views Tasted Jun 30, 2009If I could use only one descriptor, "stunning" expresses how great this wine is. The perfume shoots from the glass like a bullet from a gun. Flowers, cassis, earth, truffles fresh black fruit with spices are only the introduction to this wines ample charms. In the mouth, pure silk, satin, velvet and enough verve to give it lift. The long, fruit filled seamless finish is pure pleasure for the senses. Still young at close at over 25 years of age, this sublime wine will improve and offer amazing pleasure for decades. Keep in mind, this bottle was popped and poured from the cellar. With some air, this 5,889 Views Tasted Dec 10, 2008This cassis, earth and floral scented wine is a wonderful example of Margaux and mature Bordeaux. Very elegant in the mouth. This is at a great place, and it's only going to improve from here. It's odd that a wine this good with 25 years of age sells for about the same price as the 05! Markets move in mysterious ways 5,112 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008A flashy array of black fruit, wet earth, coffee and a variety of spices explodes from the glass. Elegant, very sophisticated and sexy style of wine. Extremely concentrated with ripe fruit and a boatload of glycerin. As good as it was, it will still improve! 5,520 Views Tasted Feb 17, 2007The wine's aromatics explode from the glass. Black fruits, cassis, spices, cedar wood, floral and earth were in full force. Over the last few years, this has put on weight and rounded out. The multiple layers of perfectly silky fruit that cascade over your palate in wave after wave of plush textures is what great Bordeaux is all about. 5,264 Views Tasted Jan 15, 2006Ruby with some bricking. Notes of cedar, black cherry, cassis, earth, spice, cinnamon and cloves. Full bodied with some tannin to resolve. On the palate a rich display of plums and black fruit. The texture is pure silk. The 83 Palmer is one of the most elegant wines I've tasted in ages. 5,154 Views Tasted May 12, 2005Sweet black fruit, tobacco & cedar notes filled the air. Full bodied, elegant and graceful. Cherries and assorted red and black fruits caressed your palate. Rich, soft, silky and sexy is a great description for this stunning wine. 5,441 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2004 |
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1982
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Rustic in style for this normally elegant wine. The color shows lightening at the rim. The wine light and simple for Palmer. The slightly rustic finish showed some green notes along with black fruit. The wine was made from a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place from September 15 to October 5. 3,907 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2010 |
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1979
Château Palmer (Margaux)
1979 Palmer opens with cassis, earth, tobacco and espresso notes. Medium to full bodied with a short cassis and cranberry finish, this wine needs to drunk up. 7,054 Views Tasted Sep 14, 2010 |
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1978
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Past full maturity, this delivers more pleasure in the earthy, floral, tobacco and red fruit nose, than on the medium bodied, herb tinged, bright, red fruit palate. There is no reason to age this any longer, drink up, before more of the fruit fades into that good night. 4,520 Views Tasted Nov 17, 2017 |
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1976
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Very over ripe, figgy nose, with wet earth and jam. From there, you found secondary notes of tobacco and mushroom. Soft in texture, the ripe, finish was odd, meaning that it was not bad or good, but the intense over ripe character of the fruit, and low acidity was more interesting than pleasureable. Served blind, I never cam close to guessing it. 4,024 Views Tasted Apr 13, 2017 |
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1975
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Very light color with tea tints. Fully mature with spicy, tobacco, earth and cassis aromatics, the wine ends with a moderate finish. Drink up. 5,988 Views Tasted Jun 20, 2009 |
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1971
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Soft, elegant, refined and floral, with cherry pipe tobacco, forest leaf, earth, cloves, barbecue and sweet cherries on the medium bodied, silky palate and in the nose. Fully mature, this seldom seen wine was just singing. 3,636 Views Tasted Oct 6, 2018 |
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1970
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Slightly perhaps its best days, yet, if well stored, this is a beauty. The perfume delivers its smoke, cassis, dried flowers, cedar and earthy notes easily. Medium-bodied, finesse in style, with a black cherry, and spice note in the finish. No decanting needed, just pop and pour. Drink from 2024-2028. 3,370 Views Tasted Apr 2, 2024At full-maturity, this is not a wine for further aging. But that is just fine. It is already 50 years old. Still, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle, you can find an earthy, tobacco laden, cherry-filled wine with earth, cedar and cigar box notes. This is medium-bodied, silky and refined with a gentle, bright finish. If you are sitting on any, you should be consuming your bottles over the next 5 years or so. 3,485 Views Tasted Oct 23, 2020Earthy, with loads of cigar box, cedar chest, tobacco leaf, red fruits and a touch of flowers, the wine is medium-bodied with an elegant touch to the fruit. This has moved past full maturity and should be drunk over the next 5 years. 4,175 Views Tasted Jan 19, 2020Fully mature, the nose, with its blend of flowers, cigar wrapper and ripe cherry, with herb nuances was really on fire. This bottle, on the palate, was a little more advanced than the previously tasted example. Soft, silky, fresh and elegant, the red plums were ripe, with a touch of tart as well. Pop and pour worked perfectly. 3,185 Views Tasted Oct 7, 2018A beautiful blend of freshly picked flowers and tobacco kick things off. Medium/full bodied, with a sublime, elegant and refined character. The wine feels light on its feet, but don't let that fool you. The finish is long, fresh and packed with sweet, ripe, red fruits that offer a fabulous sense of purity and grace. Fully mature, there is no reason to consider further aging, but I suspect, this will age continue to perform at this high-level for at least another 10-15 years or so, if well stored. 4,137 Views Tasted Oct 5, 2017While the perfume moves from roses to violets, the cigar box, earth and sweet cassis aromas remain constant. Elegant in style, the sweet, fresh cherry and tobacco on the palate is silky and refined. This is fully mature and unless your bottle is a large format or amazingly well stored, there is no reason not to be opening your bottles. This was popped and poured and barley improved in the glass, so I would not decant this wine if you're planning on popping a cork. The wine was made from a blend of 44% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from September 26, finishing October 16. 4,509 Views Tasted Dec 19, 2015Fully mature, this is not a wine to hold for more development. What you get is a sensuous, silky, velvet textured, sweet, fresh, vibrant wine with sensations of sweet, ripe cherries, plum, tobacco, truffle, forest floor and wet earth. If you want to get an idea on where your 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010 will be with 40 years of age, the 1970 Palmer provides a perfect indicator. 4,587 Views Tasted Oct 30, 2014This fully mature Margaux offers an expressive nose of forest floor, earth, cinnamon, tobacco, cassis, stone and cedar wood aromas. With the texture of silk, wrapped in velvet, this elegant Chateau Palmer ends with a refined, plush, earthy, cassis and spice finish. This is fully mature. If well stored, there is no hurry to drink it. But it is probably not going to improve. 7,364 Views Tasted Jun 2, 2013With older wines, it's always a gamble. Fortunately, this bet paid off in spades! With a perfume that deserves to be bottled and sold, due to its floral, truffle, tobacco, cassis, earth, cigar box, cherry and spice scented nose, the wine really took off on the palate. Sensuous, soft, sexy, silky textures and a beautiful, ripe, sweet, tobacco and cherry finish made this a stellar tasting experience. Splash decanted moments before serving, the wine remained at the same high level for 2 hours. It might have stayed in the sweet spot longer, but that was about as much savoring as we were able to do, with a wine that delicious. 4,675 Views Tasted Nov 8, 20121970 Palmer opened with smoke, truffle, earth, leather, blackberry and cassis aromatics. This bottle offered textures on the lean side. The wine finished with spicy cassis and strawberry flavors. I've tasted better, fresher examples of this wine. It reminded me of what the 95 will probably taste like at full maturity. 7,920 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2010With tobacco, truffle, cassis, spice, blackberry and floral aromatics, this concentrated wine filled your mouth with elegant, dark berries, cherry and coco. Fleshy, rich and round, this mature wine is still young and will only get better from here. 4,317 Views Tasted Apr 2, 2009This example lacked the elegance and complexity found in the best bottles. Ruby with bricking and offering more of a bright fruit profile than is usually found in 70 Palmer, this bottle was not a perfect example 3,020 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008 |
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1966
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Fading, so this is not a bottle for further aging. If it has been well stored, you can still find truffles, cedar, tobacco, spice, and cherries in the nose. On the palate, the wine is firm, regal, and spicy, with a bright, earthy, red berry finish. This is not a wine for further aging. Drink from 2024-2028. 1,938 Views Tasted Apr 2, 2024Elegant, floral, medium/full bodied, refined, and with a sweet, ripe, red fruit essence, paired with notes of tobacco, wet earth, smoke and cigar box. The fruit in this bottle has started to fade. Still, it was quite charming and a pleasure to taste. 3,822 Views Tasted Feb 17, 2018Fully mature, the wine is medium bodied, silky, soft and elegant with a tobacco, earth, floral and sweet, cherry character. Feminine, but with length and freshness, there is no reason to age this any longer. 3,263 Views Tasted Jul 24, 2016Thanks to the Durand, the cork came out in one piece. The fragrant nose, with its floral and cherry tobacco essence was a treat. The silky, soft, sweet fruits that caressed your palate made it even better. This bottle was in perfect condition as it was obtained from the original owner that purchased it on release! This is clearly at its peak and does not warrant further cellaring. The wine was made from a blend of 50% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot and 12% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place between September 24 and October 7. 3,954 Views Tasted Dec 28, 2015What a beauty! This is what mature Bordeaux is all about. The tannins are silky, the cherry dominated fruits are fresh, refined and powerful and the complex tobacco, floral, truffle, red berry, earth and spice perfume stays in the glass long after the wine is gone. Fully mature, there is no reason not to pop a cork now, if you're lucky enough to own a bottle or two. 3,512 Views Tasted Aug 18, 2014Better than the last bottle, once again showing provenance really matters. Soft and silky in texture, the wine serves up an earthy, spicy, truffle and cherry aromatic personality. There is no reason to hold this any longer. It's probably on the edge of slowly starting to decline. 3,057 Views Tasted Aug 4, 2014Wines like people, as they get close to 50 years of age, they are going to have good days and bad days, with some days turning out much better than others. I've tasted fresher examples of 1966 Palmer before. This was a good, but not perfect example of the bottle. Better on the nose than the palate with its tobacco, truffle, cigar box, cedar chest, cherry and earthy perfume. Very silky and polished in texture, but medium bodied and with air, developed more of a green, bell pepper and cranberry character in the finish. Even though other bottles have offered better experiences, I'm guessing this is best enjoyed over the next decade. 4,250 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2013With a beautiful nose filled with violets, spice box, cherry pipe tobacco, smoke, truffle, earth, blackberry and forest floor, the wine is pure silk and velvet on the palate. However, this bottle was more than showing its age, and while stylish, it lacked the richness, concentration and opulence found in fresher examples. Other recent bottles have scored much higher. Storage and provenance matters, especially with older wine. 3,759 Views Tasted Aug 16, 2012Truffle, cigar box, ash, cassis, black raspberry, floral, spice, smoke and earthy scents make up the complex perfume. This concentrated wine is filled with layers of plush, soft, voluptuous, sweet, ripe, spicy, roasted fruit. While the wine is fully mature, well stored bottles should offer pleasure for at least another 20 years. I've tasted better bottles of this wine which have scored earned higher scores. 4,957 Views Tasted Nov 7, 2011Sporting an intense Bordeaux perfume filled with floral, cedar, earth, truffle, forest and ripe, dark cherry aromas. The texture is supple, rich, round and opulent. This sexy wine flows over your pleasure points with massive amounts of lush, blackberry fruit that feels like it was drenched in pools of silk. Fully mature, but not in any danger of falling apart. This is what great old Bordeaux is all about 6,000 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2009Deep color. Black raspberries, floral, spice and cedar notes. This is a concentrated, rich, complex, Margaux wine. Extremely concentrated and produced in an opulent style. Power and elegance is an apt descriptor for this sublime Bordeaux. 2,854 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008 |
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1962
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Palmer was clearly on target in the 1960’s. With a nose filled with truffle, tobacco, plum, earth, cedar and spice box scents, there was a nice sense of refined, silky elegance in the wine. More than fully mature, It began to fade in the glass after 10 – 15 minutes. But it was a very nice 10 to 15 minutes. 5,917 Views Tasted Oct 29, 2012 |
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1961
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Talk about sensual, silky and refined, it doesn't get any better than this. This is femininity at its best. The wine is loaded with floral notes, most lilacs, truffle, tobacco, sweet, fresh cherries and pipe smoke. But it is that incredibly polished, palate feel, with the layers of fruit that seem endless that grab you, hold you and keep you. What a wine! 3,764 Views Tasted Oct 16, 2018Served double blind from a recorked bottle, this was almost off the charts. The silk and velvet texture left an impression with each sip that must have remained on my palate for 60 seconds. Long, exotic, opulent and decadent in all the right ways, this was a stunning tasting experience. 5,249 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2015Served double blind, from an original bottle with the original cork still intact, this was polished silk. With the beautiful patina of age, the wine is filled with smoke, tobacco, cigar box, spice, flowers, cherries and truffle. The long finish was pure, silky and multi-layered. The wine was made a blend of 52% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place between September 15 and September 27. What a night! 5,086 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2013 |
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1959
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Bright clean, fresh, and packed with juicy, sweet, red currants, silky tannins, refined textures and a gorgeous nose of wet earth, tobacco leaf, cherries and forest floor, this was just great in every sense of the word. This is pure bottled elegance. 5,085 Views Tasted Aug 17, 2020Wow! The floral, earthy, tobacco, coffee and cherry scented wine was beautiful! Very rich, concentrated and deep. The texture was amazingly plush. Complex and still youthful. Great long, pure finish. This is a perfect example of why we age wines. 4,558 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
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1957
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Tea and brick in color, the wine looked like it was from the 1920's. But on the palate, there was a softness to the texture and complexity in the nose. The wine faded after 20 minutes, but for the initial greeting, it had charm. 2,805 Views Tasted Jun 5, 2018Served blind, this ruby and brick colored wine was filled with tea, spice, truffle, cigar box, floral, baked cherry and smoky aromatics. Medium boided and high in acidity, the wine finished with elegant textures, soime green flavors and hints of strawberry. 4,216 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2010 |
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1955
Château Palmer (Margaux)
A good, but probably not perfect example still allowed the complicated perfume, with its sweet tobacco, smoke, wet earth, campfire embers and red plum notes to shine through. Elegant and refined, with a softly textured finish, you were left with sweet and tart red cherries, earth and smoke in the finish. 3,525 Views Tasted Jun 5, 2018 |
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1950
Château Palmer (Margaux)
The fresh black raspberries, kirsch, red plums, wet earth and cigar box on the nose and palate were intoxicating. This elegant beauty continues showing its silky style, finishing with sweet, ripe, fresh, red fruits. The fruit continues showing freshness and complexity along with all its secondary characteristics. I do not see 1950 Bordeaux often, but this competes with the best wines of the vintage. 2,073 Views Tasted Aug 17, 2020 |
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1934
Château Palmer (Margaux)
1934 Chateau Palmer was a thrill to sniff and sip. As it rapidly approaches its 80th birthday, it’s a chance to taste bottled history. 1934 offers a more personal connection for me, as it’s my father’s birth year and he was able to enjoy the wine. Smoke, tobacco, gentle floral scents, cherry, earth, truffle, cigar box and spicy, dark red berries kept you interested in the glass. With silk and velvet textures and a refined, soft palate feel, the wine ended with sweet, ripe cherries, earth and spice. The more wines I taste from 1934, the more I think the vintage is underrated. 3,827 Views Tasted Oct 29, 2012 |
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1928
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Riveting in every sense of the word. From start to finish this is the type of wine that brings tears to a wine lover's eyes. Where do you start? With its incredible, textural pleasures of refined silk and velvet? Or with this blend of truffle, smoke, kirsch, licorice and cigar box aromatics? If that is not a total turn on, there is the incredible, seemingly forever finish offering sweet cherries, currants, citrus and earthy nuances. This is the type of wine that you remember for years, if not longer. 92 years young, this is what great wine is all about! 8,127 Views Tasted Aug 17, 2020 |
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1921
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Notes of brown sugar, caramel, root beer, spices, plums and a hint of allspice were easy to discern. The entry was light, supple and silky. The finish soft and velvely, but a bit too short. For an 85 year old wine, the 21 Palmer performed surprisingly well. 4,001 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
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1869
Château Palmer (Margaux)
Light bricking with some pink and rose tea in color, the wine was light in weight, color and fruit on the palate. But the fruit that was there combined floral, tobacco, pipe smoke and light cherry notes. The bottle was recorked and was almost certainly topped off with a more recent vintage at the time. Sadly, the cork crumbled and that information was lost to the ages. 1,995 Views Tasted Oct 6, 2018 |
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1001
Château Palmer Historical XIXth Century Blend L.20.04. (Vin de Table Français)
Really fun to taste, the peppery qualities from the Syrah are shining through right now. Full-bodied, fresh, ripe and soft, the nose, with its spicy, earthy, floral, red plum nature, and the soft, peppery, red berry palate work together. This is drinking quite nice today. 4,946 Views Tasted Feb 18, 2019At 12, this has morphed into an elegant, medium bodied, finesse styled wine that is ready for its prime time window. The initial spicy, peppery notes of the Syrah has faded, leaving you with a silky, plum, cassis and earthy finish. 4,952 Views Tasted Mar 2, 2016The debut vintage of this special cuvee' shows a light touch of oak, charcoal, smoky tobacco, cigar box, medium bodied, soft, the tannins lack the softness found in Palmer, but they are not obtrusive. Mature, ready to drink, enjoy this now and over the next few years. 5,469 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015Served blind, the group was challenged to finds it place. Spicy, fresh, black raspberries, earth and floral styling's led to a soft, open, peppery expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. This is drinking well today. 5,307 Views Tasted Sep 2, 20132004 Palmer Historic XIX Century Blend - With deep color, jammy black fruit, pepper and lush textures, this is an outstanding wine. It will not last as long as Palmer, but it's a lot of fun to drink this unique wine. 8,399 Views Tasted Jul 1, 20082004 Palmer Historic XIX Century Blend - Inky black, purple in color. One smell shows you're not in Kansas any more. An incredible complex aroma of black cherry liqueur, cassis, herbs, and pepper fill the air. The palate experiences an extremely lush, fat, opulent sensation. Rich and concentrated. The finish is long, clean and pure and continues through nicely with good length. At first, it reminds you of an Hermitage, but, with some air, the Bordeaux characteristics shine through. This wine will drink well young for Palmer. With it's sexy personality, I imagine it will start opening in 7-10 years and continue offering unique pleasure for another 15-20 years... give or take. When drinking it, I picture Mr. Spock tasting it, raising one eybrow and remarking... "Fascinating." 6,234 Views Tasted May 5, 2007 |
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1001
Château Palmer Historical XIXth Century Blend L.20.07. (Vin de Table Français)
2007 Palmer Historic XIX Century Blend - has a deep ruby color. Peppery red and black fruits make up the perfume. This round, supple wine features ample doses of spicy black fruit. The addition of syrah in this vintage makes the Historic, an engaging wine. It will not be produced in 2008. 89-91 Pts 4,295 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
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1001
Château Palmer Historical XIXth Century Blend L.20.06. (Vin de Table Français)
2006 Palmer Historic XIX Century Blend - This does not have the punch, volume or complexity of the 04. But with its unique addition of Syrah, the pepper and jammy fruit aromatics, along with the fat texture makes this a fun wine to taste. Only 100 cases were produced. The percentage of Syrah in 2006 is down to 10% from 15% in 2004. 4,152 Views Tasted Jun 20, 2009 |
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1001
Château Palmer Historical XIXth Century Blend L.20.13. (Vin de Table Français)
Medium bodied, soft textured, fresh and spicy, with fruit that shows the red side of the vintage, this is the perfect vintage for adding Syrah, as it added density and a peppery complexity to the wine. This wine will be best in its youth. 2,670 Views Tasted Jul 6, 2017 |
