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Palmer 2022

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Traditionally the finest wine of the Médoc after the first growths. The talented wine-maker is Thomas Duroux who always produces a pure, smooth and elegant wine with (for the Médoc) a high proportion of Merlot in the blend. Since 2014 the vineyard has been certified biodynamic and yields have been very low. There is also a fine second wine produced called Alter Ego de Palmer.

In 2022 there will be 10,000 cases of Palmer but much less Alter Ego than usual. The harvest was from the 7th September until the 6th of October. The blend is 5!% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.4% alcohol. Powerful and silky.

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Label

Tasting Notes

As is the case at neighbor Château Margaux, the 2022 Palmer is one of the most powerful wines this estate has ever produced. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it offers up aromas of blackberries, burning embers, violets, iris and sweet soil tones, followed by a full-bodied, broad and expansive palate, its velvety attack segueing into a rich and layered core. Supple, seamless and concentrated, it checks in at 14.4% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.79.

95/97
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2023

The 2022 Palmer was cropped at just 22hL/ha due to the berries being 25-30% smaller than usual. It bursts forth on the nose with precocious black cherries, blueberry, violet and touches of marmalade and tobacco in the background. Complex and expressive. The palate is structured, with the tannic backbone, that winemaker Thomas Duroux talked about, lending this Palmer a sense of verticality. Hints of black pepper emerge with time, multi-layered, a powerful Margaux and yet the IPT is actually lower than elsewhere (76). Quite linear on the tobacco-infused finish, which is just quintessential Palmer. Do reserve a bin in your cellar for this and let it gather dust for at least a decade. 14.4% alcohol. 2035-2080

96/98
Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2023

Deep purple with an opulent, luxurious nose of violets, cassis, espresso and cocoa. The palate is pure silk, the tannins plentiful but ultra-refined. The oily black fruit follows from the nose but has a blood orange lift, tother with more notes of bitte cocoa. Mouthwatering freshness on the finish is a feat in such a hedonistic wine, but Palmer pulls it off in this alluring, impressive 2022.

95/98
Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, April 2023

So much class in the nose with a sophisticated kaleidoscope of dark fruit such as blackcurrants, and spices such as salt and pepper, as well as cloves and nutmeg. Full-bodied. Compacted and dense yet weightless. It opens beautifully. The tannins go on and on with wonderful presence. Salty undertones.

98/99
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2023

Composed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Palmer is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of shaking and swirling to lure out a soft-spoken perfume of roses, lavender, star anise, and cloves, leading to a profound core of Morello cherries, fresh, juicy blackberries, and blackcurrant cordial. The full-bodied palate is stacked with layer upon layer of black, blue, and red fruits, supported by a skyscraper structure of very firm, very ripe, grainy tannins and superb tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This is a monumental achievement. pH 3.79.

96/98+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2023

Dark brooding fruits, this is intense and concentrated, ripe flavours with an exotic edge, cassis, roasted plum, damson and star fruit with a curl of woodsmoke and tobacco leaf, set against fresher edges of blueberry and iris. This is serious, structured, with everything turned up pretty high, giving the imprint of the vintage in its black pepper, rosemary, turmeric, mandarin peel and clove. 3.79ph, harvest September 7 right through to October 5. Blend done by December, yield 23hl/h. Ageing sees the first year in barrel, then second year in larger sized oak casks to minimise oak impact, something that will be particularly important in a year with these unusually high alcohols.

96
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, May 2023

The 2022 Château Palmer is utterly brilliant, so much so that I questioned in my notes if this would challenge the 2018. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, its mammoth-sized personality offers layers of blue and black fruits, notes of melted chocolate, crushed stone, and spring flowers, building, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. While many estates commented that they extracted less in the vintage, Palmer went in a different direction and extracted more during the vinifications to provide a solid backbone to match the concentration and power of the vintage. It appears to have worked brilliantly, and hats off to Thomas Duroux for having the confidence to go his own path. He has produced a truly Grand Vin in 2022. The alcohol here is a normal 14.4%, and the pH is a healthy 3.79.

97/99
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2023

51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 22 hl/ha. Cask sample.
Crimson hue. Genuine expression of fruit. Touch of spicy complexity. Dense but lots of vitality and energy. Beautiful texture with tannins that drive the wine. Great definition. Long on the finish. (JL) 14.4%
Drink 2032– 2055

18
James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2023
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.