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Tasting notes
The 2022 Ch. Palmer is magnificent. It’s more compact and more structured than the Alter Ego, as you would expect, yet also has impressive aromatics. Bright, floral, spicy notes mingle with Cabernet-led graphite minerality. The fruit clarity is exceptionally pure. Palmer was one of the few to push levels of extraction in this vintage where structure and concentration was not an issue. To do this without losing balance was only possible if the fruit was perfect and the risk paid off, following strict picking over a longer than normal harvest period. The wine has great depth and structure, but above all, it is very pure and seamlessly integrated. It is outstanding. 14.4% alcohol. Blend: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
Critic scores
Average Score
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Palmer has one of the most exotic bouquets from Margaux, yet it is still compelling: black cherries, violet, cassis and juniper. Wonderful definition, but unapologetically extravagant. The palate is medium-bodied with plush, velvety tannins matched by a silver thread of acidity. Real weight and density, this is an ambitious Margaux laden with style and panache. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
Thomas Duroux and his team opted to wait to pick the 2022 Palmer in pursuit of full maturity, taking advantage of the resilience of the estate's terroirs, and they have followed up with a brilliantly executed élevage that has retained pure, vivid flavors despite the wine's ripeness and unctuosity. Bursting with aromas of blackberries, crème de cassis, mulberries and violets, it's full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a sumptuous core of rich, fleshy fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins, taking on more and more floral nuances as it sits in the glass. This is one of the Médoc's most sensual wines this year.
The Grand Vin 2022 Château Palmer is based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare. It's a deep, unctuous, fabulously textured 2022 that does everything right. Ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, liquid violets, and freshly sharpened pencil notes define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, a remarkable floral character, and a great finish. It's a ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy Palmer that will benefit from a decade of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 30-40 years.
About the producer
Ch. Palmer is one of the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Margaux Third Growth is known for its significant plantings of old-vine Merlot, typically representing a large portion of the blend and responsible for the generous and supple style Ch. Palmer is known for.