CHATEAU PALMER 3eme Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2022 OWC x 3 Bottles (Sichel) - PRE-RELEASE

Description

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Château Palmer is a leading wine estate in Margaux. Within its appellation, Palmer is certainly the closest rival to their first growth neighbour, Ch. Margaux. Although officially ranked a third growth, at their best the wines of Ch. Palmer are among the greatest anywhere in Bordeaux.

The estate dates to the 17th century, though it was not until 1814 that Englishman Charles Palmer took ownership and gave it his name. In 1938, the estate was bought by four Bordeaux négociant families, two of whom – the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families – own the property today. Since 2004, the estate has been led by the charismatic agronomist and oenologist Thomas Duroux, who had lately returned from a stint making wine at Ornellaia, in Tuscany. He undertook major renovations including a complete modernisation of the grape reception area, the vat rooms and barrel cellar. In the vineyards, the technical team began experimenting with biodynamic farming and today Palmer is among the leading biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux. In addition to the Grand Vin, the Ch. Palmer portfolio also includes a cuvée called Alter Ego. Introduced in 1998, Alter Ego is produced from grapes grown on dedicated plots and with a different blend from that of the Grand Vin. As such, Ch. Palmer regard it not as a second wine, but very much as a distinctive cuvée in its own right.

The estate lies just outside the village of Margaux, its 66 hectares of vines planted on a plateau of gravel, sand and clay soils overlooking the Gironde estuary. Plantings include equal parts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at 47% each, along with 6% Petit Verdot. Although the average age of the vines is fairly typical of the region at about 40 years, some of the vines are over 70 years old. That, along with the relatively high Merlot content and the benefits of careful, well-established biodynamic practices, may account for both the richness and complexity of the wines.

Fermentation takes place in conical, stainless steel vats in varying sizes, to permit each variety and parcel to be fermented separately for subsequent selection and blending. The Grand Vin is aged for 20-22 months in barrel, of which less than 50% is new. Thanks to the health and consistency of their biodynamically produced fruit, Palmer have been able, over the past few years, to begin safely reducing the amount of sulphur added throughout the process, with the aim of producing wines with more freshness and purity of flavour. For Alter Ego, less new wood is used, and ageing time is slightly reduced with a view to producing a wine they describe as “distinguished by its freshness of fruit, crisp intensity and richness from the moment out of barrel”.

Between 2008 and 2013, Ch. Palmer made the transition to 100% biodynamic farming. In addition to its vineyards, the estate is home to a diversity of complementary plants and grazing animals.

JAMES SUCKLING 98-99 Points
30 Mar, 2023 – So much class in the nose with a sophisticated kaleidoscope of dark fruit such as blackcurrants, and spices such as salt and pepper, as well as cloves and nutmeg. Full-bodied. Compacted and dense yet weightless. It opens beautifully. The tannins go on and on with wonderful presence. Salty undertones.

DECANTER 97 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at UGCB tasting, Bordeaux Intercontinental Hotel, 01 Apr 2023)
Part of Bordeaux 2022: Our en primeur verdict and top-scoring wines
Drinking Window: 2030 - 2050
Sharp, energetic, racy and electric. The power and concentration is evident in the dark, rich, concentrated fruit with tannins that grip and take hold with a crushed stone texture, liquorice, graphite, tobacco and cool mint spice. The expression is exceptionally delineated with focus and push from start to finish. Quite bold and charged, but I love the succulence, the perfumed fruit, chalky sensation and overall sense of confidence. In high definition in terms of sharpness and tang to the fruit. A big wine but delivered with poise. 3.79pH. 13% press wine. Harvest took one month from 7 September to 5 October. 70% grand vin, 30% Alter Ego.

THE WINE ADVOCATE (95 - 97) points
As is the case at neighbor Château Margaux, the 2022 Palmer is one of the most powerful wines this estate has ever produced. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it offers up aromas of blackberries, burning embers, violets, iris and sweet soil tones, followed by a full-bodied, broad and expansive palate, its velvety attack segueing into a rich and layered core. Supple, seamless and concentrated, it checks in at 14.4% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.79.

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Delivery - Spring or Autumn 2025.
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