CHATEAU PALMER 3eme Grand Cru Classe, Margaux 2008 Bottle
Red Still Wine | France | Bordeaux | Margaux | 75cl
£245.00 / £1,470.00 (case)
ABV: 13.5%
Size: 75cl
Closure Type: Cork
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region: Margaux
Wine Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Description
Château Palmer 2008 is a dazzling Margaux, combining aristocratic poise with remarkable depth. Decanter awards it 95 points, praising its “gorgeous balance” of seamlessly linked blackberry fruit, tannin and acidity, with pencil lead and cedar emerging beautifully. Vinous also scores it 95, finding an intensely perfumed bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and iris, followed by pure, finely textured fruit—“quite a superb Margaux,” perhaps even rivalling Château Margaux. Wine Enthusiast’s 95 points highlight sweet tannins, concentrated blackberries, liquorice and refined toast, while Robert Parker’s 94-point review discovers smoke, incense, saddle leather and forest-floor complexity in its rich, full-bodied frame. With James Suckling at 93 and Jancis Robinson at 18/20, this layered, long-lived vintage promises magnificent evolution through 2045 and beyond.
DECANTER 95 points/100
Tasted by: Jane Anson (at BI, London, 01 Jan 2018)
Drinking Window: 2018 - 2032
This has a deeper grip of fruit, one of the best so far, delivering spades of Margaux typicity and a gorgeous balance of seamlessly linked fruit, tannin and acidity. This is the right time to be drinking this wine, but it will still unfurl further. Flavours of pencil lead, brambly blackberry fruits and a cedar swirl. A gold for me, in a silver vintage.
VINOUS 95 points/100
Drinking window: 2020 - 2045
The 2008 Palmer has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and iris scents, blossoming in the glass whilst retaining superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite rounded tannin that frame the pure blackberry and raspberry fruit. There are touches of white pepper and clove towards the finish, completing quite a superb Margaux from Thomas Duroux. Equal with Château Margaux? It might even be better... (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits annual 10-Year On tasting.)
Neal Martin. Tasting date: February 2018
WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points/100
Rich and concentrated, touched easily by toasty wood. The tannins are so sweet, blending easily into the powerful texture of black berry fruits with, hints of licorice. This is a ripe wine, its acidity always present. — Roger Voss
THE WINE ADVOCATE 94 points/100
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Drink Date: 2014 - 2044
A stunning success for the vintage, and possibly the Margaux of the year, this wine, which achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot. Loads of barbecue smoke, licorice, incense, blackberry, new saddle leather and forest floor notes jump from the glass of this dense, purple-colored wine. Extraordinarily intense and full-bodied, with plenty of tannin, but not the formidable structure of the 2010, this is going to be one of the longest-lived wines of 2008. It is full, rich, layered, and should be reasonably approachable with 3-4 years of bottle age, and will also keep for 30+ years.
Published: May 02, 2011
JAMES SUCKLING 93 points/100
Palmer knows what to do. Plenty of blackberry and licorice aromas and flavors follow through to full body, with chewy tannins and a vanilla, cedar and chocolate aftertaste. Needs time to mellow. Layered and beautiful. Best after 2012.
JANCIS ROBINSON 18 points/20
There's a really delicious green streak to the nose here – perhaps it's a touch of underripeness, perhaps Cabernet Franc, but it works so nicely. Certainly it's preferable to the 2009, to my mind at least. Crunchy black fruit, firm but smooth tannins. Perfectly ripe but with the edge of herby flavour adding complexity. A great example. Richard Hemming MW
A Deeper Dive;
Château Palmer
Château Palmer is located in the commune of Cantenac, just a stone's throw from the village of Margaux. The estate encompasses 66 hectares of vines planted on a plateau composed of gravel, sand, and clay soils that overlook the Gironde estuary. The vineyard consists of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, each at 47%, with 6% dedicated to Petit Verdot. While the average vine age is around 40 years, typical for the region, some vines exceed 70 years, contributing to the wines’ notable richness and complexity, alongside a generous Merlot content and effective biodynamic practices.
Since 2004, the estate has been guided by the dynamic agronomist and oenologist Thomas Duroux, who previously honed his winemaking skills at Ornellaia in Tuscany. Thomas has implemented significant renovations, completely modernising the grape reception area alongside the vat rooms and barrel cellar. Under his direction, the technical team has also started experimenting with biodynamic farming practices, positioning Château Palmer as one of the forefront biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux. The estate’s portfolio goes beyond its grand vin, including a unique cuvée Alter Ego.
Launched in 1998, Alter Ego is crafted from grapes grown on specific plots with a different blending approach compared to the grand vin. As a result, the estate considers it a distinctive cuvée rather than merely a second wine. Between 2008 and 2013, Château Palmer fully transitioned to biodynamic farming. Beyond the vineyards, the estate boasts a variety of complementary plants and grazing animals, contributing to its diverse ecosystem.
THE WINE ADVOCATE - 95-97 Points
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Drink Date: 2012 - 2042
"The 2008 Palmer, which tips the scales at 13.5% natural alcohol (among the highest achieved at this property), is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot. It is a massively rich wine with an inky/purple color, sensational density of fruit, velvety tannins, a glorious bouquet of black fruits, licorice, incense, and subtle barbecue smoke, a superb, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a fabulous texture and length. With several minutes of swirling, an enticing floral note emerges. The wine’s glycerin and sweetness suggest it will be approachable 3-4 years after bottling, yet keep for three decades or more. It appears to be among the finest Palmers made this decade, rivaling both the 2005 and 2000."
DECANTER - 95 Points
Drinking Window: 2018 - 2032
"This has a deeper grip of fruit, one of the best so far, delivering spades of Margaux typicity and a gorgeous balance of seamlessly linked fruit, tannin and acidity. This is the right time to be drinking this wine, but it will still unfurl further. Flavours of pencil lead, brambly blackberry fruits and a cedar swirl. A gold for me, in a silver vintage."
JAMES SUCKLING - 98 Points
"Complex nose of black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate and floral undertones with perfume-like character. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Elegant on the palate with structure. Savory and balanced, complex and layered. Long finish. Really lingers. This has really evolved into a beautiful white swan after a difficult debut from barrel! Tiny production. only 11 hectoliters per hectare. Try after 2024."