The estate
Château Palmer is a star in the Margaux appellation, on the left bank of the Bordeaux region. Having built its legendary story on vintages that have become mythical, Château Palmer continues to write its history through fine wines that are renowned for their quality and their signature style.
The vineyard
Benefiting from an exceptional terroir located in the immediate vicinity of the Gironde estuary, Château Palmer comprises an unusual grape composition in the Médoc, with a strong emphasis on the Merlot variety, which appears alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.
The vintage
The exceptional mild temperatures during the month of January were suddenly offset by a strong storm on February 2nd, followed by an extremely cool period which slowed down the budding of the vines on March 25th. The sunny and cold weather during April, marked by a frost episode on the 4th that did not impact the vines, preceded a cool and rainy month of May and then a significant heatwave in June. Flowering was early, rapid and uniform. The summer was characterised by alternating hot weather and heavy rainfall along with cool temperatures. Ripening remained slow due to a lack of sunshine in August. Despite a deterioration in the weather in mid-September, the harvest took place from 23 September to 8 October. The grapes were harvested from a vineyard that enjoyed an exeptionally healthy condition, with an optimal sugar content, a good concentration and a rich aromatic palette.
The blend
Merlot (40%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (55%)
Cabernet Franc (4%)
Petit Verdot (1%).
The tasting
Throughout the tasting, a refined palate mingles with delicate and subtle tannins.
Cellaring
Enjoy today, Château Palmer 1996 can wait in the cellar for several decades to reveal its full aromatic palette.
Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the 1996 Château Palmer is a wine that never quite fulfilled its potential. There is satisfactory fruit intensity on the nose, blackberry and truffle, a touch of vanilla and violet developing with time in the glass. The palate still feels a little backward, but there is good grip and freshness. This is a harmonious 1996 Margaux and yet it feels conservative and straight-laced on the tobacco-infused finish. It is quite a serious Palmer, yet it does not quite back it up in terms of complexity or, for want of a better word, soul. Good...but you end up wanting more, especially having tasted the likes of 2000, 2005 and 2010 alongside. Tasted May 2015.