Château Palmer 2022

Thomas Duroux and his team opted to wait to pick the 2022 Palmer in pursuit of full maturity, taking advantage of the resilience of the estate's terroirs, and they have followed up with a brilliantly executed élevage that has retained pure, vivid flavors despite the wine's ripeness and unctuosity. Bursting with aromas of blackberries, crème de cassis, mulberries and violets, it's full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a sumptuous core of rich, fleshy fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins, taking on more and more floral nuances as it sits in the glass. This is one of the Médoc's most sensual wines this year.

Expressive and well-delineated, with singed iris, ink and alder accents leading off, followed by dark currant, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors that are both lush and racy in feel. Warm paving stone and dark tobacco gird the finish, which has ample structure for the cellar. Shows the floral lift and showy fruit of the vintage married to a growl of real terroir. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2050. 8,000 cases made.

Ripe and sweet strawberry and cherry fruit alongside milk chocolate and dried flowers on the nose, this smells so inviting. Fleshy and filling, tannins have a gentle grip and a crushed-velvet texture that is so appealing, gently coating the mouth and slowly expanding the expression. The blackcurrant and cherry fruit is persistent, but mint, liquorice and cola accents emerge towards the finish, adding layers of nuance. Calm but confident, this is out to please and does so effortlessly. Great acidity and a salty bite. It has relaxed since Primeurs, less taut, but incredibly seductive with undeniable power. It works well with the vintage and still comes across cool and fresh.

Lots of crème de cassis with cedar, dried flowers, blackberries and dark cherries. Opulent and flamboyant. Full-bodied and layered, it grows with plush, velvety tannins that caress every inch of the palate. Extremely long and attractive on the finish. Well-designed in this ripe year. 51% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon, and 4% petit verdot. Best after 2029.

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

The 2022 Palmer has one of the most exotic bouquets from Margaux, yet it is still compelling: black cherries, violet, cassis and juniper. Wonderful definition, but unapologetically extravagant. The palate is medium-bodied with plush, velvety tannins matched by a silver thread of acidity. Real weight and density, this is an ambitious Margaux laden with style and panache. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

If you liked 2018 Palmer, you are going to love the 2022! Produced in a similar style, the wine is ostentatious, flamboyant, and incredibly concentrated, yet it is also elegant, upbeat, and complex. The perfume is on the floral side with spices, and sweet, dark, with red berries. Also, like all the best vintages here, it is the texture that steals the show. The palate is pure silk and velvet, making the perfect backdrop for its non-stop waves of sensuous fruit that start and keep on going, long after the wine has left the glass. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2029-2065.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, a hint of incense, fine dark fruits of the forest, cassis, blueberry and cherry, with tobacco nuances, and a hint of mandarin zest. The palate is juicy, elegant and very balanced, with refined acidity, and very fine, supporting tannins, mineral, with a hint of red fruits on the persistent finish, very typical Margaux style, with assured development potential. (25/1, + 45, PM).

The Grand Vin 2022 Château Palmer is based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare. It's a deep, unctuous, fabulously textured 2022 that does everything right. Ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, liquid violets, and freshly sharpened pencil notes define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, a remarkable floral character, and a great finish. It's a ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy Palmer that will benefit from a decade of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 30-40 years.

Mouthfilling, vivid blackberry and damson fruits, squid ink, cocoa bean, espresso, black coffee, crushed rose petals. Umami texture, with sea spray salinity on the finish, this is silky and tightly knit, spice taking the place of acidity in the construction, skilful winemaking from director Thomas Duroux, yield 23 hl/ha.

On the nose, a penetrating bouquet of blackcurrant, intoxicating and pure, evoking the majesty of an eagle in full flight. On the palate, a soaring array of fine fruit, lifted by notes of dark chocolate and a saline touch. Exquisitely fresh, silky on the palate, with a texture that builds in intensity toward a gourmand, chewy, deliciously powdery finish. A pure delight.

Palmer 2022 shows depth right from the start, with a multifaceted bouquet that favours subtlety, complexity and freshness. Shades of red and black berries paired with peony notes, garrigue and a hint of cocoa beans underline the aromatic complexity. The attack follows the same logic as the bouquet; it paves the way for an elegant, precise, deep and shimmering wine. It has an energy source that seems inexhaustible, lending brilliance, brightness and definition, with precise, muscular tannins worthy of a marathon runner ready to run at least two marathons in a row. These tannins bring vigour and freshness, along with fine bitters that support the expression and persistence of the finish while ensuring freshness through a saline touch. An exceptional Palmer with a long future ahead, while offering a wide drinking window. In other words, it can be enjoyed young and considerably less young!

Black color. Intense, delicate, fruity, pure, cocoa-tinged and complex nose. Precise on entry, particularly aromatic mid-palate, with a generous, melting texture and, above all, lots and lots of flavor; the wine unfolds with complexity and depth, with graceful touch. Superb harmony and velvetiness. Very long finish. Blend: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 14.04 (above average) - pH: 3.79 (above average). Yield: 22 hl/ha. Weight of Cabernet Sauvignon berries: 0.7 g. Merlot: 1.10 g

Delicately scented and complex, with depth and nobility, dark-fruited and wonderfully floral; on the palate, powerful, with a creamy texture, building impressive intensity while remaining refined and elegant, with an almost endless finish. A monumental wine, built to last for ages.

This is a powerful wine with rich tannins and a solid structure. The black coffee aroma and the wine's dense black fruits are impressive. This is a memorable wine with a long life. Drink from 2028. Organic and bio-dynamic.