"Readers will find a gorgeous wine with tons of character and pedigree to burn. Palmer remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Bordeaux. 94-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
2024 Château Palmer and its second wine Alter Ego de Palmer were released yesterday for sale en primeur. The grand vin is offered at £950 per six bottles, down 32.5% on the opening price for the 2023, which itself was down 19.5% on the '22!
Whilst scores may reflect the relative concentration levels from vintage to vintage, the critics are confident (as are we) that, as Galloni says, Palmer remains one of the most "distinctive" of all the grand cru classé, and one which rarely puts a foot wrong, making superb wines in every vintage.
Alter Ego has its own distinctive trick of being both immediately appealing and offering impressive complexity, with Galloni describing the '24 "an absolute delight". Offered at £275 per six, the '24 release price is 22.3% below the '23.
Please let us know if you would like to add Palmer or Alter Ego to your cellar.
Offered en primeur, landing spring 2027.
Magnums available with £20 ex-VAT bottling surcharge per six, please enquire re other formats.
Producer Profile
Château Palmer
Château Palmer is a Troisième Cru Classé estate in the commune of Margaux. Originally the vineyards were part of the d'Issan estate, but became known as Château de Gasq when they were purchased by the family of the same name. The estate acquired its modern name in 1814, when it was bought by the English general, Charles Palmer, on his way back from the Peninsular War where he had fought with Wellington against Napoleon. Palmer eventually died bankrupt, having spent his wealth on his vines!
In 1938, the Sichel family joined forces with a group of wine merchant friends to purchase the property (originally including the Ginestet and Miailhe families).
The vineyard is 52 hectares of 'croupes' (knolls) of Garonne gravel, planted to 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. Thomas Duroux, formerly winemaker at Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia, has been in charge since 2004. The estate is run biodynamically.
The second wine, Alter Ego de Palmer, has become increasingly serious in recent years, so much so that in fact Palmer now sees this as not a second wine as such, but as a wine in its own right, with the grapes coming from a dedicated vineyard.
| RED | 2024 | Château Palmer | 75cl | £950 per case of 6 | Château Palmer 2024 / / 75cl £950 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Medium intensity, inky colour and some delicious sappy fruits. Stretched out, sinewy, lean muscles, charcoal, slate, peony, gunsmoke, hugely engaging texture with salinity, and a mouthwatering finish. Easy to recommend, love it. Harvest 25 September to 10 October, 3.7ph, first year ageing in barrels, second in larger oak casks. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Palmer is shaping up beautifully and stands out as one of the wines of the vintage in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, plums, cigar wrapper and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with good depth at the core, sweet structuring tannins and a long, precise finish. Uniting charm with seriousness, this blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot is the quintessential Palmer. Yields after sorting worked out at 22 hectoliters per hectare. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Château Palmer is based on 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot, from tiny yields of just 22 hectoliters per hectare. It's aging in 50% new oak before being moved to foudre for the second year of élevage. This brings another level of density and texture, with ripe currants, cassis, violets, spicy wood, and tobacco all emerging from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it has beautiful mid-palate depth, velvety tannins, and remarkable length. It's a clear success and could end up among the top wines of the vintage when all is said and done. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 Palmer is aged in 50% new oak for the first few months before it is transferred into 3,000-liter foudres. There is quite a stylistic difference between the Palmer and the Alter Ego on the nose: this is more sensual and displays more fruit concentration. Blackberry, blueberry, slate and light graphite scents unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied and less voluptuous than recent vintages with an uncommon sense of symmetry, finely chiselled tannins and impressive tension on the slightly peppery finish. Excellent. 2030 - 2058. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Excellent depth and good purity of fruit, showing lots of blackcurrants, dark minerals and violet extract. Full-bodied, this has plenty of fine-grained tannins and a hallmark Palmer tannin structure and framework. Quite tight and juicy at the end with a lasting finish and lots of volume. 13.2% alcohol. 95-96 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com------"The 2024 Palmer is wonderfully vivid and expressive. Strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections make a strong first impression. Blue/purplish fruit, gravel, lavender, incense, licorice and dried herbs all jump from the glass. I imagine the 2024 will drink well on release, which is uncharacteristic for young Palmer. Readers will find a gorgeous wine with tons of character and pedigree to burn. Palmer remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Bordeaux. 94-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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