Hermitage 1996, Jean-Louis Chave
Mørk kjerne med lysere kant. Malo-melkeaktig, sursøt med grønske, litt tobakk, kork, kjeller og lakris. Ingen kosevin, men en korrekt sur og frisk vin fra nord-Rhone. Matvin. Are mente dette var en litt dårlig flaske. 90-94 poeng.
The Chave family are based in a small village not far from Cornas, on the right bank of the Rhone. The heart of the operation, however, is across the river, on the hill of Hermitage. Here Chave owns vines in nine of the eighteen vineyards that cover the hill, the most significant of which is a 2 ha plot in Les Bessards, the large vineyard on the granite slopes at the western end. Jean Louis Chave, and his father from whom he is gradually taking control, believes that the rich variety of terroirs to be found on the hill are vital in blending a wine which has all of the features they desire, including finesse, structure and complexity. Those plots which do not meet the Chave requirements simply aren't used. One such plot is in Les Vercandières, a thin strip of vineyard at the base of Les Bessards, which they use as a vegetable patch!
Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 smaking 21.5.11; Korket, dyp mørk merlotfrukt. Snev av utedo. Ikke enighet om denne var dårlig. Soppaktig og ubestemmelig nese. Plommer og sjokolade. Broadbent har ingen omtale av denne vinen, noe som i utgangspunktet er bekymringsfult. 82-92 poeng.Og på vinmøte hos Øistein 11.11.10: Mørk mokka med sigarkasse. Overraskende Pauillac i karakter og de fleste var på vestside. Men samtidig lett og moden i munnen. Bløt vin med god intakt syre. Litt kaffe og plommepreg. Lynch Bages ? En deilig vin. Og bekrefter at Vinklubben fremdeles sliter med forskjellen mellom øst og vestside. Kjøpt av Øistein i St. Emilion. 92-94 poengFra winedoctor.com:Although the founder is known to us, the subsequent succession is not. By the end of the century the name of Conseillan is no longer associated with the estate, and by the 1840s it is in the hands of the Leperche-Princeteau family, who also owned property in Fronsac. Their tenure was not the lengthiest, however, as by 1871 the vineyard was in the possession of Louis Nicolas, and it is from this point that we may trace a direct line through to the owners of today. Under Nicolas, the vineyard's reputation was consolidated, the wine selling for a high price, allegedly matching some illustrious properties from the left bank. This enviable position was maintained despite the death of Louis Nicolas in 1880 and the arrival of phylloxera, which saw the next generation take up the battle against the vine louse in the vineyard. This generation was also named Louis Nicolas, and he was responsible for the creation of the Syndicat Viticole de Pomerol in 1900, and he held the office of president of the organisation for several years. Indeed, there then followed another two generations both also called Louis Nicolas, before the estate came into the ownership of Bernard Nicolas, who ran the business alongside his brother, Francis. He was responsible for an extensive refurbishment of the chai, having engaged the oenological services of Professor Emile Peynaud, who recommended disposing of the ancient wooden vats and replacing them with stainless steel. Today, however, we are one generation further on, in the shape of Bertrand Nicolas who has joined Marie-France Nicolas d'Arfeuille in the running of the estate, assisted by manager Jean-Michel Laporte. Under their direction, I think La Conseillante remains one of the leading estates in Pomerol.La Conseillante: Vineyards and WinesThe grand vin itself, when tasted, has done little other than impress this particular palate. One of my earliest experiences was with the 1982 vintage, which is naturally rarely a bad place to start. It was a delicious wine, and yet a number of more recent vintages match it for style and impact. My earliest tasting of the 2005 vintage, which was at two years of age, showed it had all the substance and balance required to make it a truly great wine, although curiously a couple of years later it showed less well, although I have come to realise that at an assessment of four years of age always throws up a few wines where the structure seems to have been lost, only for the wine to come good with time. The 2003 is also delicious, and other vintages such as the 2004 are not to be sneezed at, along with 2006 and even the Conseillante of 2007 has shown well. As always, the ability to turn out such an admirable wine in such a weak and wet vintage is the hallmark of a great estate. If there are any recent vintages that really show La Conseillante's hat being thrown into the ring, however, it was the 2008; it was a superb performance for the vintage, and one of the best wines from the commune I think. The main barrier to adding this wine to the cellar, however, is price; as we are approaching the top tier of the Pomerol appellation it is only to be expected, I suppose, that it should be high. But for those who have bitten the bullet, and who have had the wisdom and financial wherewithal to squirrel away recent vintages of this particular right banker, I should imagine there will be little disappointment in the future. (15/1/08, updated 17/3/10)
Bright ruby, garnet rim. Touch of volatile overtones, leather, blackcurrants, cedar, nuts, wet leaf, chocolate and anis. Somewhat more developed than other 86's lately. Almost crisp acidity, medium ripe tannins, very pronounced fruit, still elegant body, great balance, very elegant, long length. 93
Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 21.5.11;
Pen rød farge. Klar, frisk og floral. Typisk Palmer-lett i munnen, men korrekt nok til å betegnes som vellykket for årgangen. Kjølig, moden og elegant frukt. Stall, lær og sopp. Konsentrert med lang ettersmak. Bare 12% alkohol. Broadbent sier atypical 1986 ***. Av en eller annen grunn er Broadbent ikke så begeistret for årgangen 1986 i Bordeaux !
Fra winedoctor.com:
Palmer has 52 hectares of vines, with a larger proportion of Merlot than is usual for a left-bank estate. Typical make up of the grand vin is equal proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 5% Petit Verdot, but this changes with each vintage. Alter Ego is an interesting and important concept for us’, says Bernard de Laage. ‘As with many growths we produced a second wine, but since 1998 we have made a second wine plus Alter Ego’. So it’s not a second wine as such, made from barrels that fail to make the cut. Rather, in the vineyards they make a decision about which grapes are growing where and then use different techniques, such as different extractions, specifically for this wine. As an example, Alter Ego is fermented at lower temperatures to preserve fruitiness. No specific blocks are dedicated to Alter Ego or Palmer: the selection is year by year. This means there is no difference in yield. In recent years the yield at Palmer has been 50 hl/hectare in 2004 (this is high), 32 hl/ha in 2005 (low) and 36 hl/ha in 2006. The target yield is 45 hl/ha.
Chateau Palmer
What is it about Chateau Palmer that foments such fervent admiration amongst British (and other) drinkers of Bordeaux? Is it the estate's peculiarly British history, the chateau and vineyards having been in the possession until 1843 of General Charles Palmer, who had previously served under Wellington in the English army? Or is it those dramatic labels, that intricate golden design on its bold and black background, perhaps the most distinctive and virile in all Bordeaux?
No, it is of course something much more obvious than that. It is the quality, the vigour, dare I say it the breed of the wines made at Palmer. Chateau Palmer is one of a large collection - ten in all - of third growth properties located in Margaux, and in terms of sheer quality Palmer has for many years led this pack by a length, producing wine of such a high standard that it has frequently wiped the floor with the Margaux second growths. But that is not all, for this admirable track record does not only concern just one or two recent vintages. If we look back a few decades we also see the wines challenging those of the somnolent Chateau Margaux for the best in the appellation. Indeed, were it not for the renaissance of Chateau Margaux following its purchase by the Mentzelopoulos family in 1977 Palmer may well have been the top wine of the appellation today.
This is why Palmer has such a following. And my most recent of tastings have done nothing to dissuade me that Palmer's place near the very top of the Margaux tree is anything other than well-deserved.
A Military History
The origins of Chateau Palmer lie in the Gascq estate, which predates it by several centuries. The Gascq family were an influential Bordeaux dynasty that not only held sway over an impressive estate, but were also active in the local parliament. Their landholdings were spread over much of the Médoc, and in 1748 they were augmented by the acquisition of some land near Margaux, following the dissolution of the Issan estate. Within a very short period of time, the wine of Chateau de Gascq was well established on the marketplace. This was the situation when, in 1814, the vineyard was purchased by a General Charles Palmer (1777-1851), who served under Wellington in the British army, and who had arrived in Bordeaux on his way back from the Battle of Toulouse that year. Travelling by stagecoach he met by chance Marie Brunet de Ferrière, the young widow of Blaise Jean Charles Alexandre de Gascq, who was heading for Paris to attend to the details of the sale of her inherited estate. But she had found her buyer, it transpired, as Palmer purchased the Gascq estate from for the sum of just 100,000 francs.
General Palmer was renowned not only for his military success but also for his amorous conquests, no doubt due to his inimitable charm although his allure may have been somewhat enhanced by his position as aide de camp to the Prince of Wales. His taste for high society and his political ambitions led not to his newly acquired estate, however, but to London, and so Palmer entrusted the running of his property and vineyard to a local wine merchant Paul Estenave and a manager Jean Lagunegrand. There was no shortage of interest or support from Palmer though, as during the early part of his tenure he authorised an ambitious program of investment and expansion, acquiring new land and planting more vineyards. Within two decades the estate covered 163 hectares of land, of which 82 hectares were planted to vines, as well as buildings in Issan, Cantenac and Margaux.
Back in England Palmer set about marketing his wine in London where it was apparently well received. Socially adept, politically determined and well-connected, Palmer used all his charm and influence to place his wines in gentlemen's clubs where it was known as Palmer's Claret, and the wine even graced the table of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV. Palmer poured money into his estate, old vines were uprooted and replaced with new, and his team experimented wildly with the planting of different varieties. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, this had no effect other than the depletion of Palmer's finances, which rapidly went into freefall. His political career began to falter and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Atkins, left him. Eventually Palmer had no choice other than to sell off his assets, a process that culminated in the sale of what remained of the his Bordeaux estate to Françoise-Marie Bergerac in 1843. He remained in London until his death in 1851, his tenure of the estate a relatively short one at just 29 years, nevertheless he left his mark; the property, vineyards and wine remain Chateau Palmer to this day.
The Péreire Brothers
The estate soon changed hands again, coming into the ownership of the Caisse Hypothécaire de Paris, in 1844, before being purchased by the Péreire brothers in 1853. Émile and Isaac Péreire were bankers, their name one to rival Rothschild, and they paid a handsome 413,000 francs for the estate, more than for times what Palmer had handed over four decades earlier. Their wealth was rooted in France's regeneration, the two having built railways and assisted in the remodelling of Paris directed by Napoleon III, when the tired and dusty city was reworked into a modern metropolis of wide boulevards and fabulous squares. Close to Bordeaux, they had augmented their fortune with the development of Arcachon as a fashionable retreat for sufferers of tuberculosis. Today, this fashionable resort and nature reserve, complete with its sweeping sand dunes and expansive lagoon, is where all the Bordelais take their holidays, but in the mid-19th century it financed the acquisition and development of one of the region's best-known properties.
The brothers really missed out on the 1855 classification which of course came only two years after their purchase. Ranked as a troisième cru, who knows where the property and wine would have been placed if the new owners had been able to make their intended investments. Certainly, the wine's performance today viewed in the context of the other Margaux second and third growths suggests that this judgement failed to reflect the true potential of Chateau Palmer. Undeterred, however, Émile and Isaac made numerous significant improvements to the estate and in 1856 they commissioned Burguet to construct a chateau fitting for the estate. What resulted was a handsome turreted edifice (pictured above on a dreary winter's day in 2006, from the vineyards of Chateau Margaux), rather similar in style to Pichon-Baron, that stands today. As for the vineyards they built upon the expansions of Palmer, and by 1870 the estate covered 177 hectares, with 109 of these planted to vines.
Unfortunately for Émile and Isaac there was trouble ahead, during the latter years of the 19th century and the early years of the next there was another downturn; Palmer was not immune to the effects of the various vine diseases (mildew and phylloxera) that ravaged Bordeaux at this time, nor the war and economic depression that followed. As a consequence, the Péreire family were forced to sell, initially letting small portions of the estate go one at a time, in a piecemeal fashion. Finally in 1938 what remained of the estate was purchased by a syndicate of the Sichel, Ginestet, Miailhe and Mähler-Besse families, forming the Société Civile de Chateau Palmer in the process.
The Société Civile de Chateau Palmer
These four famous Bordeaux families set about restoring Palmer to greatness, and although along the way the Ginestet and Miailhe families have jumped ship, to this day the descendants of the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families run the estate. The property has indeed seen something of a new revitalisation in the latter half of the 20th century, without doubt due to the vigour and determination of the new owners, and this new vivacity is perhaps best embodied by their unparalleled success in the 1961 vintage, when it is widely acknowledged (no, I have not tasted it myself!) that Palmer produced one of the greatest wines ever made in Bordeaux.
The Mähler family originated from the Netherlands and were equally concerned in the businesses of wine and textiles. It was Frédérick Mähler (1868-1952) who cam to Bordeaux when he married Marguerite Besse, the daughter of a famous shipping family. With a keen interest in the wine trade, Mähler was on the hunt for an estate with vineyards, and he was eyeing up Gruaud-Larose when his peers Sichel, Ginestet and Miailhe encouraged him to join their consortium. Today his descendents continue at the helm; he was replaced by his son Henry, then grandson Franck, the latter running the business alongside the Sichel descendents from 1945, only yielding to his sister Stéphanie Faguer in 2007. As for the Sichel family, it was Allan Sichel (1900-1967) who joined the Société quartet representing Maison Sichel, the wine distribution business he created. He has since been succeeded by his own son Peter (1931-1998) and then grandchildren Allan, James, Charles and David.
From this formidable foursome of grand Bordeaux names it was Edouard Miailhe who managed the estate, a trying task during World War II and the German occupation. When normality had returned in was Frédérick Mähler's son-in-law, Jean Bouteiller (1913-1962) who took on this vital role assisted by the Chardon family (who remain heavily involved at the estate), and after him his own son, Bertrand, carried this mantle until 2004. At that time the Palmer shareholders elected to put a young oenologist in charge of managing the day-to-day affairs of the vineyards and winemaking. They choose a local, Thomas Duroux (shown here, during the 2009 primeurs tastings), who returned to the region full of experience from several stages abroad, including a stint in California and three years spent as winemaker at Ornellaia, in Tuscany. To this day, it is Duroux who directs operations especially winemaking, and it is often he who tastes with you when you visit, although occasionally it may be commercial director Bernard de Laage. Whoever it is, you can be sure that they have some very admirable wines to show you.
The Palmer Vineyards & Vinification
The 55 hectares of vineyards are located in Margaux and Cantenac, situated on crops of gravelly stone, guarded by the imposing chateau with its witches-hat turrets and fluttering flags, visible not only from the road but from all around, including the neighbouring vineyards of Chateau Margaux. These stones vary in type, including quartz and quartzite, chalcedony and lyddite, originating from the Quaternary era, much of it arriving in Bordeaux having been swept down from the Pyrenees by the Garonne. They form a fairly deep surface layer, up to four metres deep in places, over a hard bedrock. The planting density is high at 10000 vines per hectare, with an unusually high proportion (47%) of Merlot for the commune, with 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Merlot accounts for over 40% of the blend, and as much as 60% in some older vintages, and Petit Verdot is also a relatively significant component, always restricted to 35 hl/ha in order to maximise ripening, and it may account for up to 8% in some recent vintages. There are was also once some Cabernet Franc but this was grubbed up in 2004. The vines have an average age of 38 years and about 1 hectare of land is cleared and replanted each year. What happens in terms of viticulture is not biodynamic but much attention is paid to pest management using biological methods, although there is sometimes a need to spray to prevent disease.
The fruit is harvested by hand, the estate having a long-term contract with a group of Danish students who travel down each year to pick the grapes. Vinification is temperature-controlled in 42 cone-shaped stainless steel of varying capacity, in a vat-room refurbished as recently as 1995. The wine is pumped over the skins, which macerate for up to 20 days, and malolactic is encouraged before the wine goes into oak where it spends up 21 months, with regular topping up. It is racked four times in the first year cellar, and blending decisions are also made at this time. In the second year it receives an egg white fining before being bottled unfiltered. The grand vin is Chateau Palmer; this sees up to 21 months in oak of which 45% is new. There is a second wine now called Alter Ego de Palmer but before 1998 named Réserve de General; this sees up to 17 months in oak, of which between 25-40% is new. There are two more niche-interest wines, first up a white. Although it is possible to track down ancient vintages of Chateau Palmer Blanc, production appears to have fallen away and until recently it was accepted wisdom that Palmer's output was entirely red. This changed with the release of a new white wine with the 2007 vintage, produced in miniscule quantities amounting to about 75 cases. The wine, a vin de table comprising in the 2007 vintage 65% Muscadelle, 25% Sauvignon Gris, the remaining 10% a mix of Merlot Blanc and Lauzet, is destined for société shareholders though, so don't expect to find a bottle on the shelves of your local wine merchant. The second wine is also a vin de table, this one introduced with the 2004 vintage, and it is a blend which harks back to the 19th-century practise of blending Hermitage with the wines of Bordeaux. The wine wears a label just like the one above, although the image of the chateau is omitted, and the words Margaux - Chateau Palmer - Médoc replaced with Historical XIXth Century Wine. The source of the Hermitage is undisclosed, but the Syrah in question may account for up to 20% of the finished wine. The volume here is also tiny, the total output somewhere between 250 and 300 cases.
Palmer Opinion
Palmer has a keen following, and I have observed many flock to the wines at tastings. I agree that they are indeed very good, although as recently as the early years of the 21st century I was not so sure that the wines, in terms of intrinsic quality, were quite so distant from the rest of the Margaux pack. I thought this may reflected an overall improvement across the appellation, the result of new investment at many properties, such as Kirwan and Lascombes, to name just two.
More recent tastings, however, have driven home the fact that Palmer is, most certainly, the pretender to the crown of Margaux. This was most evident in the 2008 vintage, when I went straight from the UGC Margaux tasting at the primeurs - where I tasted the majority of the cru classé estates of the commune, including the likes of Rauzan-Ségla, Durfort-Vivens and Brane-Cantenac - to a tasting with Bernard de Laage at Palmer. The grand vin at Chateau Palmer wiped the floor with the other wines of the commune. In fact, no exaggeration, Alter Ego also did the same. In 2009, this time tasting with Thomas Duroux, the wines were again fabulous. Whereas many wines of the commune in that vintage went for the power approach, making full use of their turbo-charged harvest, at Palmer the wine was more restrained, more reminiscent of a super-second than a 'lowly' third. Still powerful of course, but that energy was hidden within a tight frame. Palmer does indeed make some magnificent wines, and I sense a new potency in the wines since the arrival of Duroux. The Palmer shareholders have made a very good decision here I think.
Looking back a little further there are some decent vintages from around the turn of the century, and the 1994 and 1996 were both very fine and both exhibited really excellent potential when I last tasted them. The 2001 was good, and certainly had potential. Mature vintages, however, have been wonderful, with the 1981, 1982 and 1989 all very fine examples. Only the 1975 disappointed, but taken with the context of my experience of that vintage - which is wholeheartedly disappointing - then that is not surprising. The same may be said for the 2007, which is a good enough wine that once again reflects the vintage. It would be a viable option for the cellar of course, if only the wines of this green and damp vintage has been released at sensible prices. As for the 2005? A magnificent libation, one to set the spine of any Palmer fan aquiver. Yes, there are some fine wines indeed here. (2/12/04, updated 27/4/07, 6/5/10)
Fra winedoctor.com:
Chave Hermitage is one of the greatest wines of the appellation, and in the eyes of many I have no doubt that it is seen as the top wine. The family firm has been passed from father to son since its establishment in 1481, through numerous generations, and currently it is under the direction of University of California Davis graduate Jean Louis Chave, although his father Gerard is still on the scene.
The Chave family are based in a small village not far from Cornas, on the right bank of the Rhone. The heart of the operation, however, is across the river, on the hill of Hermitage. Here Chave owns vines in nine of the eighteen vineyards that cover the hill, the most significant of which is a 2 ha plot in Les Bessards, the large vineyard on the granite slopes at the western end. Jean Louis Chave, and his father from whom he is gradually taking control, believes that the rich variety of terroirs to be found on the hill are vital in blending a wine which has all of the features they desire, including finesse, structure and complexity. Those plots which do not meet the Chave requirements simply aren't used. One such plot is in Les Vercandières, a thin strip of vineyard at the base of Les Bessards, which they use as a vegetable patch!
Chave produces both a red and white Hermitage, as well as a red St Joseph 'Offerus'. The white Hermitage is 85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, made from the fruit of four vineyards:
- Les Roucoles: a mid-slope site of clay and limestone, dominated by white grapes, as reds sourced from this site are often troubled by coarse tannins.
- L'Hermite: a monopole - this site is owned entirely by the Chave family, following its purchase in 1984. Situated at the top of the slope, directly to the north is Crozes-Hermitage.
- Peléat: another monopole, of stony, sandy soils, which lies adjacent to Rocoules.
- Maison Blanche: a fairly large vineyard which lies above Rocoules, higher up the slope.
The grapes are harvested by hand, before a gentle bladder-pressing and temperature-controlled fermentation in a mix of casks and stainless steel. Afterwards the wine receives minimal racking and a careful application if other treatments - fining, sulphur - if required. The wine than goes into old oak or even stainless steel - oak is not a strong flavour component of Chave Hermitage. The end result is a fabulous wine which has both elegance and power, with the ability to age although they are also approachable young.
The red Hermitage is just as superb. The appellation regulations permit the inclusion of up to 15% of white grapes in the final blend, although those producers use less than this, if any at all. Chave have some white grapevines planted alongside their red in L'Hermite. The following vineyards provide the fruit:
- Les Bessards: the backbone of the wine. Les Bessards is one of the greatest vineyards on the hill, a large site on granite soils at the western end.
- Le Méal: another large site, next to Les Bessards, but with more chalky soils.
- L'Hermite: a monopole, discussed above. There are 15% white grapevines planted with the red in this vineyard.
- Les Roucoles: despite this site being favoured for white grapes, a small amount of red from this vineyard provides some tannic structure to the final blend.
- Peléat: discussed above, another monopole.
The grapes are largely destemmed, depending on the vintage, before the produce of each vineyard is vinified in separate aliquots. This reflects Chave's belief in the importance ofterroir, and that each vineyard has a separate role to play in the blend. As mentioned, Les Roucoles provides tannin, whereas Les Bessards provides colour and intensity, Le Méal provides aromatic interest, L'Hermite a supple edge and Peléat more colour, tannin and characterful flavour. Chave blends the final wine following fermentation in both stainless steel and open wooden vats, allowing the temperature to rise a little to encourage extraction, and punching down the cap by foot. The wine sees some wood, but very little is new (if any at all) and some of the wine goes into 1300 l capacity casks.
There are a couple of other wines in the portfolio which deserve a mention. There is Cuvée Cathelin, named after the artist Bernard Cathelin, a friend of the Chave family who designed the label for this wine which was first released in 1990. This wine has a limited production, just over 100 cases in fact, and is essentially a super micro-cuvée. Chave is quick to explain, however, that it is Hermitage in a different style, rather than a wine that should detract from the main cuvée. A vin de paille has also been the subject of critical acclaim. Whatever the style, however, Jean Louis Chave is clearly keeping quality paramount. This remains a source of superb Hermitage, both red and white. (17/3/04)
Contact details:
Address: 37 avenue St-Joseph, 07300 Mauves
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 75 08 24 63
Fax: +33 (0) 4 75 07 14 21
Address: 37 avenue St-Joseph, 07300 Mauves
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 75 08 24 63
Fax: +33 (0) 4 75 07 14 21
Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1986, Pauillac
Ullsokker, skrinn og sursøt. Mild, røykaktig med toner av karamell. En vanskelig Pichon Lalande, og bekrefter at Merlot ikke var like god som Cabernet Sauvignon dette året. 85-90 poeng.
Fra mywinesandmore
1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande:
Bottom neck fill. Ruby, garnet rim, tight and more closed than several bottles lately. Cassis, bell peppers, licorice. Towards high acidity, high level of ripe tannins, intense, young and rough. This bottle would have needed another fifteen years. 92
Fra mywinesandmore
1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande:
Bottom neck fill. Ruby, garnet rim, tight and more closed than several bottles lately. Cassis, bell peppers, licorice. Towards high acidity, high level of ripe tannins, intense, young and rough. This bottle would have needed another fifteen years. 92
Cote Rotie 1999, Jamet
Lys med en fremdeles imponerende purpur tone. Frisk, syrlig, touch av cola, noe fat og sure Viognierbær. Fjell, vidde,mose, sursøt og den ultimate viltvin. 92-94 poeng
Fra Dn.no i 2002:
45679 Côte Rôtie 1999
Domaine Jamet, Rhône, Frankrike, NOK 399,60
Slippets isolert sett kanskje beste rødvin. Rett og slett en knallvin. Dessverre allerede utsolgt, da spesielt et par utsalg i Oslo fikk sopt med seg det som var. Så forhør deg på ditt lokale utsalg om de fikk skaffet noe til sine kunder. Superelegant. Mineralsk duft med et klart innslag av røk, bjørnebær og blåbær. Fin frukt. Stram, fin balanse mellom frukt og syre. Tett. Konsentrert og selvfølgelig med lang ettersmak. Vi våger oss utpå med 97 poeng? (Robert Parker har gitt 98)
Fra Dn.no i 2002:
45679 Côte Rôtie 1999
Domaine Jamet, Rhône, Frankrike, NOK 399,60
Slippets isolert sett kanskje beste rødvin. Rett og slett en knallvin. Dessverre allerede utsolgt, da spesielt et par utsalg i Oslo fikk sopt med seg det som var. Så forhør deg på ditt lokale utsalg om de fikk skaffet noe til sine kunder. Superelegant. Mineralsk duft med et klart innslag av røk, bjørnebær og blåbær. Fin frukt. Stram, fin balanse mellom frukt og syre. Tett. Konsentrert og selvfølgelig med lang ettersmak. Vi våger oss utpå med 97 poeng? (Robert Parker har gitt 98)
Pesquera Reserva 1995, Ribera del Duero
Mørk vin, extreme nye og mye eikefat, en fæl og mekka vin. Mangler eleganse. Falt helt igjennom i dette selskapet. 82-86 poeng.
Fra Dn.no:
Han startet en vinrevolusjon i Spania i 1972. Da laget han vin i noe som knapt kan kalles en liten garasje, med svært enkelt utstyr i et vindistrikt hvor de fleste rykket opp vinplantene for å drive annet jordbruk. Han fikk sitt store gjennombrudd tidlig på 1980-tallet med svært mørke, rike, fruktige og tanninrike viner som tok vinjournalistene med storm. Vi har fremdeles sjokkopplevelsen vi fikk av hans 1982-, 1985- og 1986-årganger friskt i minne.
Stråleglansen holderI dag lages det en rekke viner i verden etter mye av den samme oppskriften, og Fernández har fått en rekke konkurrenter i Ribera-området. Samtidig har han mangedoblet produksjonen. Men glansen fra vinene, og ikke minst mannen selv, holder seg fremdeles.
Alejandro Fernandez og hans høyre hånd gjennom mange år, Agustin Goytre.
73 år gammel er Alejandro Fernándezer fremdeles utrolig vital og intens. På tross av hundrevis av journalistbesøk er han like engasjert. Vårt besøk var intet unntak. Da diskusjonen tok seg opp, løp han ut og inn av sin private kjeller for å hente frem gamle viner som understreket et poeng i diskusjonen.
Han sier fremdeles de merkeligste ting, som for eksempel at gamle vinstokker ikke betyr noe.
- De som hele tiden trekker frem gamle vinstokker, bare lurer dere og sier det dere vil høre. Det betyr ingen ting for lagringspotensial og kvalitet. Arbeidet i vinmarken, utvelgelse og vinifikasjonen er det som betyr mest, forklarer han.
Enkelt i bunn, bedre i toppAlejandro Fernández lager i dag en million flasker i året av sin vanlige Pesquera. Vinen har ikke den samme magien som i de første årgangene, men likevel er det en bra vin.
Men de som virkelig overbeviser, er toppvinene hans. Pesquera Reserva og Conde de Haza Reserva er flotte viner med mer lengde og substans. Forskjellen mellom dem ligger først og fremst i jordsmonnet. Pesquera kommer fra vinmarker rundt Pesquera, hvor jordsmonnet har mer grus og sand. Conde de Haza-vinene kommer fra vinmarker rundt Roa, hvor jordsmonnet er mer leirholdig.
- Vinene fra Conde de Haza er mer jordlige, fruktige og rike, mens Pesquera er mer elegant, sier Alejandro Fernández.
På standardnivå foretrekker vi klart Conde de Haza. Det kan skyldes at her er produksjonen mindre og vinene blir mer karakterfulle.
Alejandro Fernandez har fire døtre. De skal hver overta sin egen vingård. Eldstedatteren Lucia skal overta Pesquera, mens den nest eldste, Olga skal overta Condado de haza. Mari-Cruz skal overta Dehesa la Granja, mens yngstejenta Eva skal overta El Vinculo.
SupervineneEn Pesquera Gran Reserva fra Fernández må virkelig prøves. Her skjer det noe spennende. Han lar være å avstilke 20-30 prosent av drueklasene, som gir en vin med mer struktur og friskhet. Vinen lagres i minimum 24 måneder på eik, noe som til tider har gitt for mye eikesmak for oss. Men i de siste ti årene har han lagt inn mer fransk eik, som gir en mer diskret eikekarakter. Vi foretrekker derfor klart dagens 1996 Gran Reserva fremfor den berømte 1990-årgangen.
Janus er Pesqueras topp Gran Reserva, som i dag selges i 1995-årgangen. Igjen er det en svært eikepreget vin, men den er likevel i en form for balanse. Her er innslaget av stilker i produksjonen enda høyere - opp mot 50 prosent. Dette gir en fenomenal struktur i vinene og et enormt lagringspotensial. Alenza er toppvinen hans fra Conde de Haza. Skal vi velge én vin fra Fernández, må det bli denne. Den koster nesten det halve av Janus og er hakket bedre bedre. Det er vanskelig å se for seg at denne vinen noen gang skal bli for gammel.
MilleniumAlejandro Fernández har laget en helt spesiell Pesquera som han bare kaller Millenium. Den ble laget i 1996-årgangen i Magnum og finnes til hårreisende priser i utlandet. Hvis du er heldig, finner du den til 250 euro eller 340 dollar per flaske.
- Den ble så fort utsolgt at jeg ba markedssjefen min sette en så høy pris at ingen ville kjøpe den. Jeg vil ha noen flasker i årene fremover. Det hjalp ikke, så nå må jeg regulere salget nøye, sier Alejandro Fernández.
Chateau Conseillante 1986, Pomerol
Mørk og moden Merlot. Frisk epleaktig med bløt munnfølelse og nesten Margauxaktig snill. Purpur pen farge fortsatt.1986 er jo ingen stor årgang på østside, men denne var bra. Mye cabernet franc ? 91-92 poeng.
Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 smaking 21.5.11; Korket, dyp mørk merlotfrukt. Snev av utedo. Ikke enighet om denne var dårlig. Soppaktig og ubestemmelig nese. Plommer og sjokolade. Broadbent har ingen omtale av denne vinen, noe som i utgangspunktet er bekymringsfult. 82-92 poeng.Og på vinmøte hos Øistein 11.11.10: Mørk mokka med sigarkasse. Overraskende Pauillac i karakter og de fleste var på vestside. Men samtidig lett og moden i munnen. Bløt vin med god intakt syre. Litt kaffe og plommepreg. Lynch Bages ? En deilig vin. Og bekrefter at Vinklubben fremdeles sliter med forskjellen mellom øst og vestside. Kjøpt av Øistein i St. Emilion. 92-94 poengFra winedoctor.com:Although the founder is known to us, the subsequent succession is not. By the end of the century the name of Conseillan is no longer associated with the estate, and by the 1840s it is in the hands of the Leperche-Princeteau family, who also owned property in Fronsac. Their tenure was not the lengthiest, however, as by 1871 the vineyard was in the possession of Louis Nicolas, and it is from this point that we may trace a direct line through to the owners of today. Under Nicolas, the vineyard's reputation was consolidated, the wine selling for a high price, allegedly matching some illustrious properties from the left bank. This enviable position was maintained despite the death of Louis Nicolas in 1880 and the arrival of phylloxera, which saw the next generation take up the battle against the vine louse in the vineyard. This generation was also named Louis Nicolas, and he was responsible for the creation of the Syndicat Viticole de Pomerol in 1900, and he held the office of president of the organisation for several years. Indeed, there then followed another two generations both also called Louis Nicolas, before the estate came into the ownership of Bernard Nicolas, who ran the business alongside his brother, Francis. He was responsible for an extensive refurbishment of the chai, having engaged the oenological services of Professor Emile Peynaud, who recommended disposing of the ancient wooden vats and replacing them with stainless steel. Today, however, we are one generation further on, in the shape of Bertrand Nicolas who has joined Marie-France Nicolas d'Arfeuille in the running of the estate, assisted by manager Jean-Michel Laporte. Under their direction, I think La Conseillante remains one of the leading estates in Pomerol.La Conseillante: Vineyards and WinesThe grand vin itself, when tasted, has done little other than impress this particular palate. One of my earliest experiences was with the 1982 vintage, which is naturally rarely a bad place to start. It was a delicious wine, and yet a number of more recent vintages match it for style and impact. My earliest tasting of the 2005 vintage, which was at two years of age, showed it had all the substance and balance required to make it a truly great wine, although curiously a couple of years later it showed less well, although I have come to realise that at an assessment of four years of age always throws up a few wines where the structure seems to have been lost, only for the wine to come good with time. The 2003 is also delicious, and other vintages such as the 2004 are not to be sneezed at, along with 2006 and even the Conseillante of 2007 has shown well. As always, the ability to turn out such an admirable wine in such a weak and wet vintage is the hallmark of a great estate. If there are any recent vintages that really show La Conseillante's hat being thrown into the ring, however, it was the 2008; it was a superb performance for the vintage, and one of the best wines from the commune I think. The main barrier to adding this wine to the cellar, however, is price; as we are approaching the top tier of the Pomerol appellation it is only to be expected, I suppose, that it should be high. But for those who have bitten the bullet, and who have had the wisdom and financial wherewithal to squirrel away recent vintages of this particular right banker, I should imagine there will be little disappointment in the future. (15/1/08, updated 17/3/10)
Like many estates of Bordeaux the exact history of this estate, the precise pathway of transition from one generation to the next as the years have progressed is not wholly complete. Nevertheless, at least with La Conseillante we have a good idea as to the beginning, which features none other than Catherine Conseillan, a metal dealer based in Libourne. Midway through the 18th century Conseillan, for reasons unbeknown to us today, seems to have established a vineyard close to the border between the communes of Pomerol and St Emilion. Although initially a share-cropping project, a system in which tenants worked the land in return for a proportion of the harvest, it evolved into the Conseillante estate that we know today. By 1756 there was certainly active viticulture here, and the wine produced was already christened La Conseillante. It was at about this point that Conseillan took full control of the estate, thus securing its future as one of Pomerol's most important viticultural properties. The chateau which now graces the vineyard dates from this era, and it is assumed, rightly so I expect, that it was Catherine Conseillan that was responsible for its construction.
The Conseillante vineyard lies on the very boundary between Pomerol and St Emilion, and one of its nearest neighbours is the St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé estate Cheval-Blanc, just across the road to the east. Indeed, although the nearest vineyards include Vieux Chateau Certan, Petrus and L'Evangile, all Pomerol thoroughbreds, a number of the Conseillante vines actually lie within the St Emilion commune. Underfoot, the soils are a mix of the types associated with the two communes; some clay, some sand, some gravel too. There are 12 hectares of vines all told, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, planted in a single block, the characteristics of which have not changed since the acquisition of the estate by the Nicolas family. The vines, planted at a standard density of 6000 vines/ha, see controlled yields, as evinced by a figure of 38 hl/ha for the 2005 vintage, achieved through a rolling process of pruning and bud-thinning, with leaf-thinning to improve quality of ripening. The harvest is manual, with the fruit sorted by an arrangement of four sorting tables, and destemmed prior to a cold maceration and fermentation which is carried out according to plot of origin. The malolactic tends to begin in vat, prior to running off and then gentle pressing, before being finished off in barrels, between 80% and 100% new each vintage, where the wine will rest for up to eighteen months, with a racking every third month. There is an egg white fining prior to bottling, but filtration is avoided. Selection and blending occurs when the wine is still in barrel, with the best lots destined for the grand vin, Chateau La Conseillante, with lesser aliquots going into a second wine, newly created with the 2007 vintage, named Duo de Conseillante, which will see only 12 months ageing in wood, using older barrels. Total production at the estate amounts to about 5000 cases, with the second wine accounting for up to 20% of this figure.
Chateau Palmer 1986, Margaux
Holder seg veldig godt. Vital og harmonisk. Flere fasetter og pen dybde i vinen. Veldig fresh og god munnfølelse. Jon syntes denne var bedre enn Soldera`en. 92-93 poeng.
Fra mywinesandmore:
Bright ruby, garnet rim. Touch of volatile overtones, leather, blackcurrants, cedar, nuts, wet leaf, chocolate and anis. Somewhat more developed than other 86's lately. Almost crisp acidity, medium ripe tannins, very pronounced fruit, still elegant body, great balance, very elegant, long length. 93
Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 21.5.11;
Pen rød farge. Klar, frisk og floral. Typisk Palmer-lett i munnen, men korrekt nok til å betegnes som vellykket for årgangen. Kjølig, moden og elegant frukt. Stall, lær og sopp. Konsentrert med lang ettersmak. Bare 12% alkohol. Broadbent sier atypical 1986 ***. Av en eller annen grunn er Broadbent ikke så begeistret for årgangen 1986 i Bordeaux !
93 poeng
Fra winedoctor.com:
Palmer has 52 hectares of vines, with a larger proportion of Merlot than is usual for a left-bank estate. Typical make up of the grand vin is equal proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 5% Petit Verdot, but this changes with each vintage. Alter Ego is an interesting and important concept for us’, says Bernard de Laage. ‘As with many growths we produced a second wine, but since 1998 we have made a second wine plus Alter Ego’. So it’s not a second wine as such, made from barrels that fail to make the cut. Rather, in the vineyards they make a decision about which grapes are growing where and then use different techniques, such as different extractions, specifically for this wine. As an example, Alter Ego is fermented at lower temperatures to preserve fruitiness. No specific blocks are dedicated to Alter Ego or Palmer: the selection is year by year. This means there is no difference in yield. In recent years the yield at Palmer has been 50 hl/hectare in 2004 (this is high), 32 hl/ha in 2005 (low) and 36 hl/ha in 2006. The target yield is 45 hl/ha.
Chateau Palmer
What is it about Chateau Palmer that foments such fervent admiration amongst British (and other) drinkers of Bordeaux? Is it the estate's peculiarly British history, the chateau and vineyards having been in the possession until 1843 of General Charles Palmer, who had previously served under Wellington in the English army? Or is it those dramatic labels, that intricate golden design on its bold and black background, perhaps the most distinctive and virile in all Bordeaux?
No, it is of course something much more obvious than that. It is the quality, the vigour, dare I say it the breed of the wines made at Palmer. Chateau Palmer is one of a large collection - ten in all - of third growth properties located in Margaux, and in terms of sheer quality Palmer has for many years led this pack by a length, producing wine of such a high standard that it has frequently wiped the floor with the Margaux second growths. But that is not all, for this admirable track record does not only concern just one or two recent vintages. If we look back a few decades we also see the wines challenging those of the somnolent Chateau Margaux for the best in the appellation. Indeed, were it not for the renaissance of Chateau Margaux following its purchase by the Mentzelopoulos family in 1977 Palmer may well have been the top wine of the appellation today.
This is why Palmer has such a following. And my most recent of tastings have done nothing to dissuade me that Palmer's place near the very top of the Margaux tree is anything other than well-deserved.
A Military History
The origins of Chateau Palmer lie in the Gascq estate, which predates it by several centuries. The Gascq family were an influential Bordeaux dynasty that not only held sway over an impressive estate, but were also active in the local parliament. Their landholdings were spread over much of the Médoc, and in 1748 they were augmented by the acquisition of some land near Margaux, following the dissolution of the Issan estate. Within a very short period of time, the wine of Chateau de Gascq was well established on the marketplace. This was the situation when, in 1814, the vineyard was purchased by a General Charles Palmer (1777-1851), who served under Wellington in the British army, and who had arrived in Bordeaux on his way back from the Battle of Toulouse that year. Travelling by stagecoach he met by chance Marie Brunet de Ferrière, the young widow of Blaise Jean Charles Alexandre de Gascq, who was heading for Paris to attend to the details of the sale of her inherited estate. But she had found her buyer, it transpired, as Palmer purchased the Gascq estate from for the sum of just 100,000 francs.
General Palmer was renowned not only for his military success but also for his amorous conquests, no doubt due to his inimitable charm although his allure may have been somewhat enhanced by his position as aide de camp to the Prince of Wales. His taste for high society and his political ambitions led not to his newly acquired estate, however, but to London, and so Palmer entrusted the running of his property and vineyard to a local wine merchant Paul Estenave and a manager Jean Lagunegrand. There was no shortage of interest or support from Palmer though, as during the early part of his tenure he authorised an ambitious program of investment and expansion, acquiring new land and planting more vineyards. Within two decades the estate covered 163 hectares of land, of which 82 hectares were planted to vines, as well as buildings in Issan, Cantenac and Margaux.
Back in England Palmer set about marketing his wine in London where it was apparently well received. Socially adept, politically determined and well-connected, Palmer used all his charm and influence to place his wines in gentlemen's clubs where it was known as Palmer's Claret, and the wine even graced the table of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV. Palmer poured money into his estate, old vines were uprooted and replaced with new, and his team experimented wildly with the planting of different varieties. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, this had no effect other than the depletion of Palmer's finances, which rapidly went into freefall. His political career began to falter and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Atkins, left him. Eventually Palmer had no choice other than to sell off his assets, a process that culminated in the sale of what remained of the his Bordeaux estate to Françoise-Marie Bergerac in 1843. He remained in London until his death in 1851, his tenure of the estate a relatively short one at just 29 years, nevertheless he left his mark; the property, vineyards and wine remain Chateau Palmer to this day.
The Péreire Brothers
The estate soon changed hands again, coming into the ownership of the Caisse Hypothécaire de Paris, in 1844, before being purchased by the Péreire brothers in 1853. Émile and Isaac Péreire were bankers, their name one to rival Rothschild, and they paid a handsome 413,000 francs for the estate, more than for times what Palmer had handed over four decades earlier. Their wealth was rooted in France's regeneration, the two having built railways and assisted in the remodelling of Paris directed by Napoleon III, when the tired and dusty city was reworked into a modern metropolis of wide boulevards and fabulous squares. Close to Bordeaux, they had augmented their fortune with the development of Arcachon as a fashionable retreat for sufferers of tuberculosis. Today, this fashionable resort and nature reserve, complete with its sweeping sand dunes and expansive lagoon, is where all the Bordelais take their holidays, but in the mid-19th century it financed the acquisition and development of one of the region's best-known properties.
The brothers really missed out on the 1855 classification which of course came only two years after their purchase. Ranked as a troisième cru, who knows where the property and wine would have been placed if the new owners had been able to make their intended investments. Certainly, the wine's performance today viewed in the context of the other Margaux second and third growths suggests that this judgement failed to reflect the true potential of Chateau Palmer. Undeterred, however, Émile and Isaac made numerous significant improvements to the estate and in 1856 they commissioned Burguet to construct a chateau fitting for the estate. What resulted was a handsome turreted edifice (pictured above on a dreary winter's day in 2006, from the vineyards of Chateau Margaux), rather similar in style to Pichon-Baron, that stands today. As for the vineyards they built upon the expansions of Palmer, and by 1870 the estate covered 177 hectares, with 109 of these planted to vines.
Unfortunately for Émile and Isaac there was trouble ahead, during the latter years of the 19th century and the early years of the next there was another downturn; Palmer was not immune to the effects of the various vine diseases (mildew and phylloxera) that ravaged Bordeaux at this time, nor the war and economic depression that followed. As a consequence, the Péreire family were forced to sell, initially letting small portions of the estate go one at a time, in a piecemeal fashion. Finally in 1938 what remained of the estate was purchased by a syndicate of the Sichel, Ginestet, Miailhe and Mähler-Besse families, forming the Société Civile de Chateau Palmer in the process.
The Société Civile de Chateau Palmer
These four famous Bordeaux families set about restoring Palmer to greatness, and although along the way the Ginestet and Miailhe families have jumped ship, to this day the descendants of the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families run the estate. The property has indeed seen something of a new revitalisation in the latter half of the 20th century, without doubt due to the vigour and determination of the new owners, and this new vivacity is perhaps best embodied by their unparalleled success in the 1961 vintage, when it is widely acknowledged (no, I have not tasted it myself!) that Palmer produced one of the greatest wines ever made in Bordeaux.
The Mähler family originated from the Netherlands and were equally concerned in the businesses of wine and textiles. It was Frédérick Mähler (1868-1952) who cam to Bordeaux when he married Marguerite Besse, the daughter of a famous shipping family. With a keen interest in the wine trade, Mähler was on the hunt for an estate with vineyards, and he was eyeing up Gruaud-Larose when his peers Sichel, Ginestet and Miailhe encouraged him to join their consortium. Today his descendents continue at the helm; he was replaced by his son Henry, then grandson Franck, the latter running the business alongside the Sichel descendents from 1945, only yielding to his sister Stéphanie Faguer in 2007. As for the Sichel family, it was Allan Sichel (1900-1967) who joined the Société quartet representing Maison Sichel, the wine distribution business he created. He has since been succeeded by his own son Peter (1931-1998) and then grandchildren Allan, James, Charles and David.
From this formidable foursome of grand Bordeaux names it was Edouard Miailhe who managed the estate, a trying task during World War II and the German occupation. When normality had returned in was Frédérick Mähler's son-in-law, Jean Bouteiller (1913-1962) who took on this vital role assisted by the Chardon family (who remain heavily involved at the estate), and after him his own son, Bertrand, carried this mantle until 2004. At that time the Palmer shareholders elected to put a young oenologist in charge of managing the day-to-day affairs of the vineyards and winemaking. They choose a local, Thomas Duroux (shown here, during the 2009 primeurs tastings), who returned to the region full of experience from several stages abroad, including a stint in California and three years spent as winemaker at Ornellaia, in Tuscany. To this day, it is Duroux who directs operations especially winemaking, and it is often he who tastes with you when you visit, although occasionally it may be commercial director Bernard de Laage. Whoever it is, you can be sure that they have some very admirable wines to show you.
The Palmer Vineyards & Vinification
The 55 hectares of vineyards are located in Margaux and Cantenac, situated on crops of gravelly stone, guarded by the imposing chateau with its witches-hat turrets and fluttering flags, visible not only from the road but from all around, including the neighbouring vineyards of Chateau Margaux. These stones vary in type, including quartz and quartzite, chalcedony and lyddite, originating from the Quaternary era, much of it arriving in Bordeaux having been swept down from the Pyrenees by the Garonne. They form a fairly deep surface layer, up to four metres deep in places, over a hard bedrock. The planting density is high at 10000 vines per hectare, with an unusually high proportion (47%) of Merlot for the commune, with 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Merlot accounts for over 40% of the blend, and as much as 60% in some older vintages, and Petit Verdot is also a relatively significant component, always restricted to 35 hl/ha in order to maximise ripening, and it may account for up to 8% in some recent vintages. There are was also once some Cabernet Franc but this was grubbed up in 2004. The vines have an average age of 38 years and about 1 hectare of land is cleared and replanted each year. What happens in terms of viticulture is not biodynamic but much attention is paid to pest management using biological methods, although there is sometimes a need to spray to prevent disease.
The fruit is harvested by hand, the estate having a long-term contract with a group of Danish students who travel down each year to pick the grapes. Vinification is temperature-controlled in 42 cone-shaped stainless steel of varying capacity, in a vat-room refurbished as recently as 1995. The wine is pumped over the skins, which macerate for up to 20 days, and malolactic is encouraged before the wine goes into oak where it spends up 21 months, with regular topping up. It is racked four times in the first year cellar, and blending decisions are also made at this time. In the second year it receives an egg white fining before being bottled unfiltered. The grand vin is Chateau Palmer; this sees up to 21 months in oak of which 45% is new. There is a second wine now called Alter Ego de Palmer but before 1998 named Réserve de General; this sees up to 17 months in oak, of which between 25-40% is new. There are two more niche-interest wines, first up a white. Although it is possible to track down ancient vintages of Chateau Palmer Blanc, production appears to have fallen away and until recently it was accepted wisdom that Palmer's output was entirely red. This changed with the release of a new white wine with the 2007 vintage, produced in miniscule quantities amounting to about 75 cases. The wine, a vin de table comprising in the 2007 vintage 65% Muscadelle, 25% Sauvignon Gris, the remaining 10% a mix of Merlot Blanc and Lauzet, is destined for société shareholders though, so don't expect to find a bottle on the shelves of your local wine merchant. The second wine is also a vin de table, this one introduced with the 2004 vintage, and it is a blend which harks back to the 19th-century practise of blending Hermitage with the wines of Bordeaux. The wine wears a label just like the one above, although the image of the chateau is omitted, and the words Margaux - Chateau Palmer - Médoc replaced with Historical XIXth Century Wine. The source of the Hermitage is undisclosed, but the Syrah in question may account for up to 20% of the finished wine. The volume here is also tiny, the total output somewhere between 250 and 300 cases.
Palmer Opinion
Palmer has a keen following, and I have observed many flock to the wines at tastings. I agree that they are indeed very good, although as recently as the early years of the 21st century I was not so sure that the wines, in terms of intrinsic quality, were quite so distant from the rest of the Margaux pack. I thought this may reflected an overall improvement across the appellation, the result of new investment at many properties, such as Kirwan and Lascombes, to name just two.
More recent tastings, however, have driven home the fact that Palmer is, most certainly, the pretender to the crown of Margaux. This was most evident in the 2008 vintage, when I went straight from the UGC Margaux tasting at the primeurs - where I tasted the majority of the cru classé estates of the commune, including the likes of Rauzan-Ségla, Durfort-Vivens and Brane-Cantenac - to a tasting with Bernard de Laage at Palmer. The grand vin at Chateau Palmer wiped the floor with the other wines of the commune. In fact, no exaggeration, Alter Ego also did the same. In 2009, this time tasting with Thomas Duroux, the wines were again fabulous. Whereas many wines of the commune in that vintage went for the power approach, making full use of their turbo-charged harvest, at Palmer the wine was more restrained, more reminiscent of a super-second than a 'lowly' third. Still powerful of course, but that energy was hidden within a tight frame. Palmer does indeed make some magnificent wines, and I sense a new potency in the wines since the arrival of Duroux. The Palmer shareholders have made a very good decision here I think.
Looking back a little further there are some decent vintages from around the turn of the century, and the 1994 and 1996 were both very fine and both exhibited really excellent potential when I last tasted them. The 2001 was good, and certainly had potential. Mature vintages, however, have been wonderful, with the 1981, 1982 and 1989 all very fine examples. Only the 1975 disappointed, but taken with the context of my experience of that vintage - which is wholeheartedly disappointing - then that is not surprising. The same may be said for the 2007, which is a good enough wine that once again reflects the vintage. It would be a viable option for the cellar of course, if only the wines of this green and damp vintage has been released at sensible prices. As for the 2005? A magnificent libation, one to set the spine of any Palmer fan aquiver. Yes, there are some fine wines indeed here. (2/12/04, updated 27/4/07, 6/5/10)
Chianti Classico Riserva 1977, Castell`n Villa
Kjellerpreg, litt kork ? Kjøpt på slottet. Overraskende intens og frisk. 91 poeng
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