Boston Palmer Tasting

Palmer is consistently one of my favorite Chateau on the left bank for the graceful, perfumed and consistent wines they produce. Others in my group concur, and we decided about 2-years ago to put together a Palmer focused event with some of the top vintages.

After some planning, we decided to sprinkle in a few vintages of Margaux for comparison.

To get started we began with three of the old great vintages that many wine writers have rhapsodized over for years. These provided a great glimpse into how the estate has evolved, and the true nature of the terroir of Palmer.

• 1959 Château Palmer Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Sadly a completely maderized wine. DOA tonight.

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• 1966 Château Palmer 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Caramelized cherries, mushroom, spice, sweet red fruit and cocoa. What an elegant nose. Palate: lifted and completely ethereal, this floats across the palate with grace that none of the other wines on the table could match. Such a detailed palate that brings out cassis, eucalyptus, forest floor, lavender and spice.
  
  Glorious fully mature Palmer with such personality. Thank you Englishman's Claret for sharing.

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• 1970 Château Palmer 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Blackberry, white flowers and some evident wood notes. Kirsch an coffee? maybe as it opened more. Palate: Quite angular to start, but as this opened and had time to sit the edges came off of it and a rather elegant wine emerged. Nice blackberry and walnut accented by notes of pine forest, caramelized cherries and touches of florals. Finish: Tannin may never fully integrate here, but provides a more elegant finish than you might expect from most 70's.

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Palmer v. Margaux

• 1983 Château Palmer 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Gorgeous red cherry / floral perfume with aromas of logan berry, baking spice and a sage leaf / thyme note as well. Palate: Took a few hours to open from magnum, and definitely showing much younger than a 750ml consumed a few years ago. Layers of black and red fruit, elegantly layered spices and floral notes and hints of caramel coming out over time. Finish: Beautiful and lifted finish with red cherries and cedary oak.
  
  Much more red fruited and lifted than the 89, but not lacking in any single area. Magnums have time in the cellar, but I would start drinking standard bottles if you have few. This bottle had an herbaceous note that some found distracting.

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• 1983 Château Margaux 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Dark blackberry, violet, cassis and explosive spice/cedar notes. Quite spectacular actually on the nose at moments, but then it would close up and hide again. Palate: Great deep black fruit and spice notes, bits of floral perfume in the mouth. Slightly drying when it closed up however, which is worrisome for the future. Finish: Great cedar/spice with cassis and mint. Drying at times however.
  
  Unlike prior attempts at the 83 this bottle was correct, and hitting many of the notes that others describe. However, it was bested by the Palmer and played a tease for much of the time it was on the table.

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Palmer v. Margaux

• 1989 Château Palmer 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Deep black fruited nose with fresh violets and truffles. Leads to cedar, spicy cherry and graphite notes as the wine opens further. Palate: Depth of fruit is impressive, but the inner mouth perfume is what really separates the 89. So penetrating and floral with traces of cedar, leather, loamy earth and truffles that lend complexity. Finish: excellent length and nuance at this point.
  
  Wine of the night in a stout line up of Palmer and Margaux.

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• 1989 Château Margaux 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Dark fruited nose of blackberry, dark-raspberry and cherry fruit leather with bits of violets, cedar and stone poking out. Still densely fruit driven at this point. Palate: Not as graceful on the palate as the Palmer in the next glass, but it has deep reserves of black fruit and a focused spine of florals, graphite and mineral. Finish: Graceful and dark with good grip.
  
  The Palmer in the next glass swept the floor with the Margaux. 89 proves that Palmer can be every bit a first growth in quality.

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A sublime 75 d'Yquem was served as a finale, and it was a show stopper

Many thanks to Englishman's Claret for helping to pull this off and organizing one of the best vertical tastings I have ever participated in. Quality of these wines was off the charts. No losers here.