2001 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 51% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot and 5% 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
Inviting nose of dark fruits, tobacco leaf, cedar, allspices, graphite and underbrush, rich mouthfeel with taffeta-like texture, seamless structure and excellent concentration, multilayered flavours of black currant, black cherry, plum, dark chocolate, clove and star anise liberally laced with mineral undertones, well-embedded acidity and resolved tannins carrying through a long, savoury finish. Largely overlooked upon release, this 2001 has turned out to be a charmingly elegant wine with composed poise, alluring finesse and subtle complexity. Though lacking the grandeur of the glorious Palmer produced in recent vintages, it’s beguilingly voluptuous yet very precise and amazingly fresh at 22 years old. Bearing witness to the outstanding quality of its terroir, it’s indeed a superb wine that has more weight than initially expected, not that far removed from the much hyped 2000. (09/2023)