1991 Margaux, Château Palmer
About Producer
Taking its name from the English general Charles Palmer who owned it from 1814 to 1843, this 55ha estate undeniably produces one of the most compelling wines of Margaux, thanks to a very competent winemaking team led by the talented Thomas Duroux since 2004. Punching well above its third-growth weight, Palmer is second only to Château Margaux in its appellation, and vintages produced over the last 25 years have firmly consolidated its standing among Médoc the top elite. Since 2018, Palmer has been converted into biodynamic viticulture.
Varietals
Blend of 36% merlot, 58% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot.
About Appellation
Located at 25km north of the city of Bordeaux, Margaux AOC includes the communes of Arsac, Labarde, Margaux-Cantenac and Soussans. Though vines have been planted here since the Gallo-Roman era, viticulture got boosted in the 17th century, after King Louis XIII commissioned Dutch engineers to drain the swamps and marshlands around the Gironde estuary. The vineyards cover 1,530ha and sit on a silt and gravel plateau on limestone and some clay subsoil. Carmenère and malbec which are permitted for wines of the appellation have been dropped out, and the current predominant varietals are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. There are 21 grands crus classés in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, the most famous being first growth Château Margaux.
Tasting Notes
The 1991 vintage in Bordeaux was struck by a terrible frost in April that destroyed up to 80% of young shoots, a cold and rainy May, and torrential rains end of September that compromised the maturity of the remaining grapes. Still, I am pleasantly surprised by this 30 year-old Palmer magnum. There is something beguiling about the unfaded fragrant nose of dark berry fruits and luscious mouthfeel with smooth texture, good concentration and subtle complexity. The palate is nicely fresh with rich fruit flavours and fine acidity leading onto a silky finish. This is of course far removed from the magnificent Palmers of greater vintages, yet it’s a wine of exquisite charm that has impressively defied the passage of time with unblemished hallmarks of Palmer, fragrance, opulence and quality of texture, albeit in a subdued fashion. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear but sometimes, it happens that ugly ducklings can turn into swans. (12/2021)