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Margaux-Cantenac · Bordeaux · France

Producer profile

Château Palmer

Margaux Third Growth with a gravel, sand and clay plateau, a 2022 grand vin, and Alter Ego from dedicated plots.

Place
Margaux-Cantenac · Bordeaux · France
Known for
Margaux grand vin and Alter Ego
Wine context
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot
Editorial basis
World of Wine editorial profile · 5 sources

World of Wine editorial profile · Source list ↓

Atlas locationMargaux-Cantenac · Bordeaux · France45.04° N · 0.67° W

At A Glance

Category
Detail
Place
Margaux appellation in the Médoc, next to Château Margaux
Classification
Third Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification
Grand vin
Château Palmer 2022
2022 composition
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot
Annual production
8,000 to 10,000 cases of grand vin

The Producer

Major General Charles Palmer, a British cavalry officer, acquired Château Palmer in 1814. Between 1814 and 1831, he expanded the estate to 163 hectares, stretching from Cantenac through Issan to Margaux.

Château Palmer is the grand vin. Alter Ego de Palmer was introduced in 1998, made from dedicated plots and blended differently from the grand vin. The range therefore has a historic estate wine and a separate bottle with its own vineyard source and blend.

Place

Château Palmer is in the Margaux appellation in the Médoc, next to Château Margaux. Its vineyard sits on a plateau of gravel, sand and clay overlooking the Gironde estuary.

Gravel usually drains quickly, while clay holds more water and sand keeps the ground loose. These differences affect how much water remains available to vines and how quickly the ground warms. The site combines all three materials on one plateau.

Wines

Château Palmer is the grand vin, with annual production of 8,000 to 10,000 cases. The 2022 wine is red and contains 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

Alter Ego de Palmer entered the range in 1998. It comes from dedicated plots and uses a blend different from the grand vin, giving the estate a second named wine with its own vineyard source and composition.

In The Glass

The 2022 Château Palmer has a silk and velvet texture, with waves of sensuous fruit and floral notes across the palate. The finish moves from red to black to red, followed by a refreshing mint note that holds focus for over 50 seconds.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose Château Palmer 2022. It is the red grand vin, with an optimal drinking window from 2027 to 2065 and peak maturity between 15 and 45 years after the vintage. The bottle places the estate name and the grand vin designation on the same label.

Final Word

Each vintage receives a commissioned piece of jazz that reflects that year's style. Every bottle leaving the château from the 2009 vintage onwards carries a Prooftag seal against counterfeiting.

Sources

Keep following the thread

Where to go next

placeRead the Bordeaux guideSee Château Palmer in the wider setting of Bordeaux.mapFind Château Palmer on the mapKeep the producer, its region and nearby places together.learningUnderstand MerlotRead the quick library guide to Merlot, which is listed with this producer.