Chateau Palmer Mârgaux 3. Cru Classé 2017 i trækasse

"98 points. It’s extremely polished and very, very long..." - James Suckling 

Anmeldelser af Château Palmer Margaux 3. Cru Classé 2017

98/100 James Suckling
"Very perfumed and subtle with dried flowers and citrus, as well as blue fruit. Full-bodied with wonderfully diffused, integrated tannins that just run over the edges of the wine. It’s extremely polished and very, very long. Fresh and bright. Energetic finish. A thoughtful wine. A blend of 54% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink after 2023."

98/100 Tastingbook.com
- samme score som Château Margaux 1. Cru Classé 2017...

'97+/100 Robert Parker
"A blend of 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored, 2017 Palmer gives a very serious nose of pronounced blackcurrant cordial, warm plums and blackberry preserves with hints of cedar chest, pencil shavings, violets, dark chocolate and star anise plus exotic wafts of sandalwood and cassia. Medium-bodied, the palate features fantastically vibrant, crunchy black fruits with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. It will need a good 5-7 years to really blossom with all those tightly wound nuances, but it should be a stunner!"

97/100 Vert de Vin
"The nose is elegant, fruity and offers a fine grain, intensity and delicacy. It reveals notes of cassis, strawberry and small notes of cherry, ripe raspberry associated with fine touches of violet, nutmeg, sweet spices as well as discreet hints of grey pepper (in the background), vanilla and an imperceptible hint of sweet blond tobacco. The mouth is fruity, well-balanced, elegant and offers a juicy/slightly acidulous frame, a good definition, gourmandize, finesse, unctuosity as well as a fine tension. On the mouth this wine expresses notes of black cherry, juicy/crunchy raspberry and small notes of red currant associated with fine touches of crunchy strawberry, crunchy red cherry as well as a subtle hint of rose, violet, almond and sweet spices. Tannins are elegant, well-built and structuring. Good length. A fine chew on the finish."

96/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"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."

96/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous   
"One of the wines of the vintage on the Left Bank, the 2017 Palmer is fresh and vibrant, with tons of energy. Veins of supporting salinity and floral overtones lend grace to the Grand Vin in 2017. I imagine Palmer will only blossom with a few years in bottle. Time in the glass brings out pretty notes of dark fruit, mocha, spice, leather and licorice, but overall, the 2017 is quite reticent, especially given what readers have come to expect here. The blend is 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Technical Director Thomas Duroux told me his team harvested all the fruit in nine days as opposed to the more typical 2-3 weeks. The 2017s were done with no SO2 at crush. Duroux stopped the pump overs early and favored gentle extractions. Both wines are in the 13-13.2 range of finished alcohol."

95/100 Decanter  
"It's very interesting to watch a 'super-second' risk scaling back the muscular attributes of its wine. The key, says director Thomas Duroux, was building the blend carefully and using the press wines to preserve the mid-palate (12% press in this wine, around the same as the 2015). It's less powerful and concentrated than the last few vintages, and yet the wine feels sculpted and sewn into place. The fine tannins are extremely clear and precise, and there's a purity of fruit expression that gives an overwhelming initial impression. The aromatics are really striking, offering an abundance of violet notes on the nose with huge finesse. It just gets better and better in the mouth,, and the tannins do that slow-build thing that is so disarming. This has clear ageing potential. Very low SO2 use for the past few years, in keeping with their biodynamic principles"

95+/100 Jeb Dunnuck  
"The grand vin 2017 Chateau Palmer checks in as 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. This deep purple-colored beauty gives up more cassis fruits as well as hints of chocolate, graphite, smoked herbs, and crushed violets. Beautifully concentrated, rich, and full-bodied, it has a wonderful sense of elegance and purity, laser-like precision, building tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles a solid 7-8 years and it's going to evolve for 25-30 years or more." 

95/100 Wine Enthusiast 
"Fruit and supple tannins mingle in this balanced, classic wine. Black-currant flavors are lifted by the energetic acidity and the freshness of the crisp texture. This wine will develop easily, giving pleasure all the way. *Cellar Selection*"

95/100 Wine Spectator
"Dark and winey in feel, with ample blackberry, plum and black currant compote flavors leading the way, while licorice snap, singed apple wood, black tea and dark earth notes fill in throughout. The finish is focused, showing a nice buried iron accent. A powerful version of Margaux and a strong effort in the vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot."

Om Château Palmer

Kronprinsen af Margaux… Bortset fra måske 1. Cru-naboen Château Margaux kommer ingen Grand Vin fra Margaux-distriktet i nærheden af den vidunderlige, koncentrerede og dog sofistikerede Château Palmer.

Slottet har sit navn efter den engelske general Charles Palmer, der var ejer fra 1814 til 1843. I 1938 blev slottet overtaget af fire familier, hhv. franske Ginestet og Miailhe, hollandske Mähler-Besses og britiske Sichel. Trioen af det franske, hollandske og britiske flag vejrer stadig over Palmer, selvom slottet i dag ejes af et konsortium på i alt 22 aktieholdere.

I 2006 hentede man Thomas Duroux fra Tenuta Ornellaia i Bolgheri hjem som ny chef-winemaker, og siden har Palmer med en konsistent perlerække af verdensklassevine ædt sig så tæt ind på Château Margaux, at anmeldelses-algoritmen Tastingbook.com i årgang 2017 erklærer dødt løb mellem de to Margaux-giganter!!

2017 er samtidig den første årgang, hvor Château Palmer på Duroux’ foranledning - og efter årelange eksperimenter - har opnået biodynamisk Demeter-certificering. Det sker ovenpå den økologiske certificering, som trådte i kraft allerede fra 2016.

Château Palmer råder over 66 hektar vinmarker med gennemsnitligt 38 år gamle, tætplantede stokke fordelt på 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon og 6% Petit Verdot. Arealet består mestendels af dybe, varmeabsorberende og veldrænede grusaflejringer, der sammen med den forbedrede biodiversitet frembringer druer med exceptionelt højt kvalitetspotentiale.

Vineriet og vinkælderen er, måske ikke så overaskende, 100% state-of-the-art efter totalrenoveringen i 1995 samt nye, gennemgribende renoveringer så sent som i 2010.

Château Palmer 2017 er baseret på et blend af 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon og 4% Petit Verdot. I hele fremstillingsprocessen tilsættes kun minimalt svovldioxid, da Duroux ønsker at maksimere frugtens renhed og autenticitet. Vinen modner 18-20 måneder på barriquefade, heraf 70-80% helt nye. Resultatet er ren og skær verdensklasse…

“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.” – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Ved siden af sin Grand Vin har slottet siden 1998-årgangen fremstillet Alter Ego de Palmer. Denne nok så ambitiøse rødvin stammer fra andre parceller end hovedvinen og bør således ikke forveksles med 2. vine i gængs forstand.