Next to 1994 and 2015 Palmer. The 86 stole the show. Had the same nuanced iron note on the nose, followed to the palate with a soft and easy drinking profile. A wonderful perfume, a nice level of complexity without being completely beguiling.
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Fill about an inch below the bottle neck. Cork saturated about half way up with the top half crumbling. Stored in passive cellar since release. A testament to ageing potential under ideal conditions. The 1986 was still on an upward drinking curve. Delicious, complex, integrated and intensely fulfilling.
Quite musty nose at first, but that note disappeared almost completely with air. The nose is mature with red fruit, mushrooms, cedar, and forest floor notes. Good acidity with fully integrated tannins and flavors of red fruit and dark cherries on the palate. Nice finish. Great, fully mature Bordeaux that tastes quite a bit older than some of the other 86s I’ve had (especially compared to Mouton from a few days ago).
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Have had several bottles of 86 Palmer over the years and they have ranged from outstanding to just ok. This was unfortunately again in the later camp. Excellent bottom neck fill. Top of cork fairly moldy but overall cork in very good shape and came out in one piece. Still a fairly dark with a thin translucent rim. Plenty of sous bois, borderline TCA which I unfortunately often get in mature Bordeaux from damp cellars. On the palate the dark fruit is not tired but fairly thin, again sous bois notes, tannins are well integrated for 86, short finish. Disappointing bottle.
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[Magnum] Nose is surprisingly showy and expressive and has lush black and red fruit. Quite perfumed and pretty. More projection and detail than the '86 Cos d'Estournel mag and by far the '95 Talbot jero. Palate is lush with resolved tannin and a silky texture to the dense balckberry fruit. Quite lovely overall.
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During an exuberant wash down the 2020 Covid year with some good Bordeaux Lunch&Dinner. Not a fan of the 1986 vintage but this bottle showed amazingly well and stunned the table. Ripe nose, vanilla, Black forest cake, tertiary earthy notes intermixed. Grand
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In my cellar since release. Decanted at 4pm and tasted over the next 6 hours and with Christmas Eve dinner. Medium garnet color with no bricking. Nose was very expansive with floral tones, earthy leather and sous bois and a red fruited undertone. Palate still had some tannic structure and bright acidity. Flavors included red cherry, red currant and red plum in layers with earthy leather and tobacco throughout. Very long finish. Delicious throughout the night but eclipsed for just a few magical moments by the ‘70 Ch. Lascombes.
Dinner at Pizzeria Bebu (Chicago, IL): Served blind as to vintage. Sadly there was a slight bit of TCA that got worse in a hurry. But in the five minutes I was able to evaluate this, I found plenty of the magical Palmer perfume; the palate though was quite thin and structural. Given the higher tannin content, I guessed 1975; I'm pretty happy with that.
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Healthy ruby color, with bright floral and red berry notes on the nose. But on the palate, the fruit is weaker than I remember. It has lost weight since my last encounter, and had trouble holding up against the rich flavors of the Hainan chicken rice (house version) we were having. It's not unpleasant, but it's past its best, and will not make old bones. Drink up, drink up!
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2019 Palmerathon: Slightly off I think, but initially at least showing enough of the dense, plush, deep raspberry and violet to give an idea as to what the 86 Palmer has to offer and where it stands stylistically in the line-up of the 1980s. The substance underneath the flaw was at least in the 94 range.
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Aromatic, and typical Margaux on the nose, with flowers and leather. Also some aromas in the direction of TCA. These disappeared after a while. Quite rustique on the palate, which could related to the vintage. Maybe not a perfect bottle. Or, should it have been decanted more?
Lovely nose! Perfect color! Needs a couple of hours of decanting to resusitate this 86. Cedar, raspberry and blueberry overtones. Good match with rack of lamb.
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Unlike the 85 alongside which benefits from air but doesn’t absolutely need it, the 86 is a tight, monolithic wine out of the gate. This absolutely needs 2 hours of decanting before really over-delivering with a suave nose - elegant but with lots of the power of 86; red currant, blueberry, plum, cedar, loam, and subtle touches of violet. A masculine expression of Palmer. Good balance, long finish. The best days are ahead (Or now with a decant). What fun to drink this with the 85 - Palmer tells the story of the two vintages articulately.
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Cigar box, hints of decayed blackberry, cedar, cumin; full, aged but firm and very much alive, intense and powerful presence throughout, balanced, formed, classic, forcible yet refined; lovely
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Bordeaux 1986 Stock, Oslo: Stram og tett duft, men skjemmes av kork. Solbær og støvete kjellertoner/gamle bøker ligger under. Stram, mangler frukt, lite "punch".
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1986 Palmer Parfymert, forførende in your face duft med tobakk. Tørket frukt, tobakk, parfyme, lær, mineraler, kaffe. . Dette er elegant til å være Palmer. . Lang. 93
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Wasn’t impressed with this one. Bottle was in great shape and didn’t come across flawed when tasting. Just didn’t live up to the expectations I had. If rating would probably be around 89 points for me. Hopefully bottle variation as I’ve never had a Palmer I didn’t love.
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DnP. Very much like the bottle I had in July but this was more balanced and tannins almost totally resolved. This lead to an overall more complete experience and it was a real delight to drink.
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Fresh floral scent (smells like taking a stroll in a florist), plenty of cassis and cedar aroma.
On the palate, the high acidity is balanced by plenty of cassis, blackcurrant, dark cherries, earthy, tobacco, tea leaves flavours and well-judged oak. Tannins are ripe, still firm and not quite resolved yet. No hard edges, but flavours not quite harmonised.
Afterall, judging from the strength of the fruity flavours, this wine has plenty of years ahead. On serving, it should benefit from further aeration. This is not a typical feminine expression of Palmer / Margaux.
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Wonderful, full of wine, violets, coffee, spices, berries, especially blackcurrant, blueberries. Perfect balance. In parallel with Chateau Palmer 1986, the best cuvée of Central and Eastern Europe Cuvée Attila 2002 (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) from the Gere Attila winery, Villány, South Hungary was tested. Cuvée Attila is much younger but slightly better in all directions than Chateau Palmer. Yet both wines can be considered remarkable and both can be highly recommended! My ratings Chateau Palmer '86 - 94/100, Cuveé Attila '02 - 97/100. (drink 2018 - 2025)
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DnP. Beautiful garnet red, yellow rim, 5.5, younger appearance than expected for a 32 years old Bdx. Complex bouquet although I had expected more, however finely balanced with dark fruits, black currant, spicyness, coffee, mature sweet stuff, violets. Racy harmonious palate, old school Bdx style typically 1986, still a good portion tannin, elegant finish. Drink now-2030 at least.
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Started with a funky nose but, after half an hour in the decanter, began to blow off and open up. In the meantime we had been sampling a glass of Ch. Haut Brion ‘95, so were not twiddling our thumbs.
A beautifully crafted claret with wonderful secondary tones on the nose but without having lost that refined primary fruit and graphite Palmer touch. Whilst it continued to improve, it didn’t completely bowl me over and I wouldn’t cellar for more than another decade, perhaps less.
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Two 1986 Bordeaux (Yan's China Bistro, Walnut Creek, Ca.): At Yans to enjoy two 1986 Bordeaux and marinated steak with Mike, nose of mustiness, black cherry, cigar box, mushroom, and plum, more of the same on the palate, big body, very tasty, slightly muted fruit due to hints of cork taint, musty nose slowly disappeared by fifty percent, rich fruit and their terrific wine making in this great vintage saved the day for me, rich fruit, mouth filling fruit, more intense than the Chateau Lynch- Bages but less complex today, and a long finish.
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Slight improvement from a year ago. Lovely ruby color looking young and vigorous. So open on the first pour, cherry, plum, leather, soil and spice notes. Very sexy and feminine tonight. Lovely length and balance on the palate. Really delicious now and quite frankly a bargain priced Palmer that is really one of the few 86s that brings a pleasurable drinking experience.
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Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind: I served this blind to today's tasting group, fitting it in nicely immediately after Ken's 1983 Palmer/Margaux pairing. Black fruit, earth and faint cigarbox aromas, this nose was so similar to the 1983 Palmer. More structured, however vs the 1983, and slightly less complex or nuanced. Very long, powerful finish.
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Saturday Blind Tasting - Bordeaux '03 and Older (Chevalier Fine Wines): Blind. Another gorgeous nose of dense plum fruit, mineral and tobacco. Rich fruit but so elegantly styled. Lithe and lifted palate. Very good complexity and layering throughout. Excellent, but not quite as good as the '83 Palmer tasted before it.
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I have not drunk the 86 in almost 3 years so it was nice to drink it again. Robe was light red, classic mature Bordeaux of mushrooms, truffles, background of red fruits, light to medium bodied with all the tannins melted away, feminine & so graceful
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8th of 12, decanted an hour, damp and crumbly cork, top shoulder level, more fruit and more intense than last bottle in 2013, odd corky note which has been a characteristic of all previous bottles in case spoiling what looks to be a very fine wine, obviously not corked as the last glass was the best. Just about F (17.5).
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Bottle was ex-chateau, purchased and cellared for 2 year before opening
Color was a deep crimson with obvious signs of bricking.
Nose was incredible. Still plenty of fruit coming forward, wild raspberry and strawberry encased in a field of roses and dried violet. notes of earthy mushroom lingered in the depths.
On the palate, similar notes came through. The tannins were floating they were so soft. Everything was well balanced, as layer after layer of flavor rolls down effortlessly. The finish was med +, but not as long as I would of expected.
The magnum is singing right now, just an amazing expression at this point. Easily one of the best experiences ive had in a long long time.
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The 1986 Palmer is a rather masculine expression of this often rather buxom Château, and actually resembles nothing so much as the powerful savory and firm Palmer '45. The wine opens up to reveal an attractive bouquet of earthy cassis, cedar, a bass note of dried ceps and a top note of rose petal. On the palate the wine is concentrated, intense and still firmly structured, with plenty of years ahead of it, and probably a decade before it begins to drink at peak. A striking contrast to the heady, open-knit 1985 Palmer.
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Decanted for around 1,5 hour. Rich nose with notes of cigar box, black currants and roses. Long lasting taste with still vivid fruit, notes of black currants, roses and tobacco.
Good, but don't wait much longer for it.
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First tasted 10 years ago, when this wine was still fighting fit, it is clearly now passed its best. Once such great wine, now with faded fruit and some overbearing earthiness coming through. Drink up.
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Better on the nose, with its earthy, tobacco, cigar box, cedar and cherry character, than on the palate, which like many wines from this vintage is on the strict side. This is a wine for consumers that prefer their Bordeaux on the classic side of the style range. The wine was made from a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from October 2 to October 16.
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Still quite young but just starting to yield a bit. Good Margaux perfume of white flowers (honeysuckle), sandlewood and dark cherry. Still a little close on the palate but great substance, flavor and length. No hard edges and finally enjoyable now but certainly no rush to drink this. Could improve further!
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Deep and cloudy garnet. A fantastic showing tonight with awesome aromatics right out of the gate: Ripe red cherries, strawberries, white flowers (lilies), violets, some damp underbrush, and fascinating notes of minty chocolate and coffee. Soft on the palate with more ripe red fruits, mostly strawberry, with good earth-driven secondary tones and very mellow tannins. More or less everything you'd want out of a Margaux wine and red Bordeaux in general. Decidedly outperformed (smashed) an '86 Ducru Beaucaillou enjoyed alongside in an impromptu '86 Left Bank matchup.
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PnP and drank over 1.5hrs. A bit reserved on the nose initially but opened up with some air. On the palate, this wine had a level of intensity and verve which one would associate with a wine maybe 10-15yrs younger. Tannins fully resolved. Had an understated power which was wrapped up beautifully in a silky texture. Long clean finish. This is drinking at peak but feels like it can hold at this level for another 5-10yrs. A wonderful mature expression of Margaux!
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Chateau Palmer Dinner (La Trompette, Chiswick): Open, expressive nose with dark fruit, touch of beef, gravel. Quite youthful. Medium/full bodied, cool blackcurrant fruit, vigorous, firm but very fine, correct tannin, great depth, vibrant acidity, expands impressively into an extremely long, harmonious finish. Outstanding *****.
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Dense, tight, dark, and smooth - not showing much yet but it will. It appears as though other bottles are more evolved. Came out of a cold cellar and we drank this with decent glasses but no decanter (long Audouze) in our suite at the Place Vendome Westin.
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Ian A's Palmer @ Trompette (La Trompette, London): Darker. Full deep ruby. A lot denser and tighter on the nose. Some leafiness with tighter fruit. Very smooth and harmonious. Wouldn't pick this as 86, blind. Far more integrated and resolved than at the Medlar Palmer offline in 2011. A denseness but not a hardness. A really vally very good bottle deed. ****1\2
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This 29 years old Palmer is young and presenting high quality Margaux. When first opened, strong plum and cedar at nose, with a little floral hint. After two hours of decanting, the wine is still dancing with more intense smell of coffee beans develops. Tannin has all been well integrated, acidity is adequate in balancing this more fruity wine. It's an elegant, lighter-version Bordeaux which tastes more like a Burgundy. It should be served light chilled and it's enjoyable from now
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Maturing color. The nose is aromatic, showing aromas of dark fruits, berries, cedar, flowers and a bit of charred oak. This is medium full bodied on the palate with very good concentration and good finesse. The fairly long finish shows slightly gritty tannins.
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Second Sunday Group: Margaux (M's): As soon as the glass came anywhere near your nose you knew this was corked. A real shame as the palate did have a bit of fruit showing under the TCA. Too bad.
My #9, Domino's #9 Group #9, 99 pts
This is the first time I recall a unanimous vote in the group. There's a few people who are not as sensitive to TCA and will sometimes have a tainted wine ranked 2nd or 3rd to last. I don't know why I find this interesting enough to note, but I do.
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Wow still a medium dark red, good color for a 29 year old Nose: lovely, still alive with secondary aromas, a beautiful nose Palate; this is a very good bottle having opened 3 86s in the last 1.5years, elegant medium bodied Palmer, the tannins have softened to reveal a silky smooth margaux that goes down superbly, not long nor complex but a good wine with food
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What a wine! Red cherries, cigarbox, earth and tryffel. Round, smooth and flirty palette with good tannic structure. Long and intensive aftertaste. Still another decade to go.
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Vivino - Singapore "chapter" (the opening) (Imperial Treasure, Great World City): Final red/wine of the night. A sweet, cedary/flowery nose. Dark-fruit profile on the palate, "milky" chocolate too. Silky, elegant and long. This must be a Margaux, but which one? We (or at least myself) were gasping when it was revealed to be a '86 Palmer. Still so young (but enjoyable already) with lots of stuffing to last at least another decade. And so, what started off as a rainy and gloomy evening ended on a high, night-is-still-young note! Till the next Vivino session... Special thanks to Johan & Bok!
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Pencil shaving, cedar, old leather to the nose after 5 hours of decanting. The palate contains some acidity, feminine, well balanced, with some fruits. The finish is longish but only to mid palate. Higher percentage of Merlot than Medoc producers.
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Unfortunately by far not as convincing as another bottle a year ago. Bottom neck, completely soaked cork. Was going to quickly double decant and take to restaurant but the wine did not show particularly well despite pouring it back into the decanter for another 30 min. In the end poured it once again back into the bottle, put into fridge and opened a 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste instead to take to the restaurant. Drank half of bottle of the Palmer after coming back. The wine was showing a fine nose with forest floor and fine dark fruits, similarly on the palate where it was somewhat astringent with a relative lack of fruit, fine (+) tannins, and a short to medium finish. Good but not great. A pity.
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Good ullage and cork completely soaked through. Popped and poured into a decanter and followed over about 2.5 hours though the wine didn't really change much. I love the smell of aged wine. Earthy, leather, tobacco notes that follow through on the palate. Light/medium weight. Light tannin and lots of acidity. There wasn't a lot of fruit remaining and I would say this is slightly unbalanced due to the high acid and lack of fruit. A touch of mint at first but that faded as the wine continued to open. I get the sense this bottle would have been better a few years ago when there may have been a little more fruit to balance everything. A fun experience drinking a wine from the year I graduated high school.
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Color: Still a healthy red hue with bricking on edges, Nose: savory, tea leaves, Asian spices, like a young cdp! Still alive red fruits, wow! Complex, mature Bordeaux, hard to believe its 28 years old! Love the nose ... my favorite chateau, Palmer never disappoints Palate: feminine, lovely mature margaux, immense pleasure, still singing after 2 hours in the glass, nothing like a fully mature palmer for an after dinner drink, this would give the 89 Palmer a good run for its $, intellectual, cerebral ...went so well with some good company & mellow jazz numbers coming from the speakers .... just a wonderful evening
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Lovely deep dark ruby color. Lots of Brett, earth, tobacco, vanilla, black fruits like black plum, black currant and blackberry. On the palate you get cedar, mushroom, blackberry and a minty finish. Elegant and supremely balanced. No negative signs of age. Delicious with grilled loin lamb chops and rosemary. Much better than my last bottle.
Dinner at Jada's (Chez Jada): 2nd bottle opened tonight and this one delivered the goods. Beautiful floral bouquet, sharp and precise, with loads of warm summer berries, the nose was pure enjoyment. Medium bodied, with rounded gentle tannins and a rambunctious fruity character, this wine was quite a surprise given the backward, aloof character of the vintage. For those who enjoy mature Bordeaux, you really could do much worse than buy a case of this terrific wine to drink unhurriedly over the next 6-8 years
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Dinner at Jada's (Chez Jada): Top shoulder fill. Cork was so soft it fragmented into 5 different pieces on the way out. Light brownish hue, which was worrying. A quick sniff confirmed what I feared -- vinegar
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Nose was incredible. What was in the glass and on my mouth was life changing. This was an outstanding example of what properly aged Bordeaux should taste like. The subtle power and beauty that this wine had was simply incredible. Outstanding!!!!
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Tried a 3hr double decant this time (see my previous note), and there was a clear improvement. So much richer (much richer), full bodied and sweet and long finish. Tanins a bit drying otherwise it would score even higher. Really good and under-rated, and will be better in 5yrs.
An aristocratic (relative) value diamond that I enjoyed far more than my score will demonstrate. From a pristine bottle from my cellar - perfect cork and levels. Double decanted 2hrs and cooled down, then drunk over 2hrs with Thai beef red curry and parmesan. It was all too easy for me to finish a whole bottle - this is one of the best balanced and precise wines I've drink in a long time. Some may say the wine is 'light' and to me this misses the point... indeed it's not why I enjoy Palmer. This does still have an initial tannic grip, but with time in the glass this relaxes and is complemented by wonderfully balanced acidity. I don't generally like 1986s but this is super. Now, the nose was initially highly disappointing (its why I drink Palmers), but then opened into tobacco and cedar (still disappointing for me), then - worryingly - wet fur and finally with my last glasses the classic violet aromas I was searching for started to whisper. I am betting this will be superb in another 5yrs, and glad I've still got a case (and for only 1/3 the price of the 83 Palmer). If you like elegant wines with class, and have pristine bottles, this is a real treat to savour for another 10yrs+. Such an unappreciated vintage of Palmer... technically rated 93 (nose/taste), but enjoyment rated about 96 (sheer class). A softly-spoken charmer.
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Another fine Palmer thanks' to my brother's friend Andy Aziz (our 4th New Year's with a Palmer), this one was finely aged and very, very nice - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, black fruit, cigar box, tobacco, earth, spice, funk and vanilla, impeccably balanced and fine, very complex, dusty, yet sweet on the palate with terrific length, awesome experience (93 Points).
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Brittle cork. Decanted 2 hours. Deep black cherry, mature, dry cigar, catcher's mitt. Still has nice mature red fruit on the palate and nicely balanced through the finish.
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Brittle cork raised the concern level to defcon 4.. And the nose confirmed our worries. Light corked feel on the nose, not a killer but enough to spoil the fun. We had this wine twice so far a couple of years ago and both times rated 93. This time it was not such a pristine experience. We will not rate this time round.
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Decanted for an hour and then drank over the next 2 hours. Transparent ruby-amber colour and showing the first signs of separation with a very deep transparent meniscus across the surface. Nose is still holding some classic alluring Margaux perfume but all rather muted. Palate is disappointingly hollow on the entry and then gets worse in the middle with just acidity and cold tea tannin but no fruit or even tertiary remnants….all the more disappointing as I generally prefer claret at this stage of its life. Dilute and short finish. Very disappointing, especially as the ullage was good and the cork was fine.
Sadly this bottle (the last of case) seemed over-mature and rather joyless. A sad farewell to a wine I always enjoyed much more than the critics suggested should be the case.
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Drank in Bordeaux We were worried about the cork as it was very wet but luckily the wine was perfect. Classic mature claret with everything in the right place. Drinking really nicely now.
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Cork in perfect condition. Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Then...wow. so young on the nose still suggested this needed longer, then on the palate even more pronounced, this tasted more like a '96 but better. Second and tertiary palates just kept going and going. This wine could have been cellared for a least another 10 years. Sublime.
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Opened bottle due to slight leakage (however still bottom neck fill). Completely soaked cork came out in one piece. Needs 30 min in decanter and then it's a stunning wine. Medium garnet. Nose of forest floor and dark berries. Fantastic balance on the palate (12% alcohol...), floral notes and a bouquet of sweet fruit, fine tannins, medium plus finish. Seems at peak now and the best mature Bordeaux I have had. Worked well with steak at home and equally well on its own.
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Bordeaux (mostly 80s) at La Fonda del Sol (NYC): Acquitted itself well in the flight with the Haut Brion, showing a bit of the stern side of the 86 vintage, but very, very nice. Well balanced, fresh, both red and black fruits with citrus and tobacco, mature.
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Old Bordeaux at La Fonda del Sol (NYC): Darker fruited and more powerful than the Haut-Brion, this is more an iron fist with a rich core of fruit framed by floral, spicy and cedary elements, and a firm tannic backbone still suggesting at plenty of time ahead. There's plenty of complexity and aromatic depth now, but the structure and richness here suggest there's a lot of time ahead.
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Ch. Palmer vertikal (Oslo): Klar, mørk rød med innslag av oransje. Dyp nese med nydelig rød- og blåbærfrukt, innsmigrende sødme og hint av kokos. Bløt, klar, livlig og frisk frukt. Frisk, saftig og presis syre. Delikat. Milde, men faste tanniner. Flott lengde.
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Palmer vertical: Mixture of Spearmint and brett, some thought it might have hint of TCA, but after a while it became clear that this was not the issue, but it was not quite correct bottle. Unclean. Short, lacking fruit
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We decanted the wine and give it two hours until we started tasting, drank the first half over 6 hours on the first day and the second half of the bottle on the next day. The cork had soaked up a lot of wine and was very soft, but seemed to be intact. Appears deep garnet-red with lighter edges. Medium color density and concentration, but still vital! Decent and elegant nose, dominated by secondary characteristics of Mint, Leather and Dark Chocolate and, sadly, some unpleasant cellar notes. Hardly any Fruit in the beginning. Later some weak aromas of Black Currants and Dark Cherries. Earthy aromas. Sweet Vanilla and Tobacco. Elegant and interesting, but- honestly- weak and faded. Elegant Fruit Flavors of Dark Berries and Cherries paired with present Leathery, Dusty and Smoky flavors. Earth. Nice texture and round mouthfeel. Finishes medium-long with warm pepperiness, soft tannins and delicate acidity. Medium complexity, with little density and substance.
Altogether, a nice wine, but- especially considering the reputation and greatness of the vintage- still a disappointment. No TCA, but faded with signs of oxidation, as the fruit had almost disappeared and the wine was lacking density, vibrancy and freshness. Even though the wine improved over the long drinking period, mostly due to the fact that the unpleasant aromas declined, it definitely wasn´t an ideal bottle. More details at cellartv.wordpress.com
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Med deep red, brown on rim, glycerine evident, mercopan whiff, more baked plums than blackcurrant, though with decent secondaries, good mouthfeel, though dry tannins reasonably covered with attractive and complex underlying fruit, mature but should develop further, probably slightly flawed bottle and not a patch on recently consumed 89, 85, 83 and 66. (17/20)
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Another splendid example of Palmer at its finest, consistent with all the other bottles I have been fortunate to enjoy. Youthful colour, earthy leathery nose, wonderfully long and smooth on the palate. A real gem.
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Drank over two hours. Dense, tight nose of dark fruit, leather and cedar. Dark, sleek black fruit on the palate. Soft, but closed. Maybe this needed more time in the glass. Medium finish.
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Deep dark ruby color. Nose of cassis leather, earth and cedar. After 4 hours breathing it was round and soft yet still lively with a bit of tannin remaining. My guess is this still has a good bit of life left. On the palate you get dark berry and cassis then a layer of saddle leather then a cedar aftertaste which is moderately long. Lovely expression of a Margaux. Surprising it went really well with a Swiss Chard side-dish with bacon really setting off a smoky earthy explosion in the mouth.
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Great ruby colour surprising for its age. Good red fruit still emerging together with minor earthy undertones.Typical wonderful Palmer smoothness, the tannins (in spite of the vintage) very well integrated, it is pure silk, the essence of a great Margaux, a real privilege and treat to be able to drink and enjoy.
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Strong ruby core, very little fade at the rim; vey rich berried fruits which show little evolution. Sweet and perfumed. A little cedar but still quite primary - gorgeous aromatics. Sweet entry, lovely red berried sweet fruits. Still some considerable matter here. Sinewy tannins on finish. Lovely savour and poise though. Minerals on back palate. Dry but not drying finish. Still time to develop.
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Colour shows the age. Bricking all around. Herbal notes, light earthy notes, some cedar. Tannins are now well integrated and the wine feels to be declining as it lost its vibrancy. We guess this is how the lovely 96s will age. Drink now 92-93
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Ch Palmer @ Medlar (The Medlar, London): Here surprisingly there's a slight jaminess on the nose with a minty coolness cutting across it. Good tannins but a sweetness of fruit too. Still quite tight and buttoned up. There's the fruit here for the long haul but at the moment it's two different wines lightly stitched together. ***(*)
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Palmer Vertical (Boka): Very young, dark, with purple fruits and characteristic (vintage rather than wine) aggressive, hard tannins. Classic flavors but still very, very primary. Great raw materials but hard to say how long this may take.
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Chateau Palmer Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Black fruit on both nose and palate with good floral elements in background. Dense tannic structure and acidity come through from middle to finish, combining with the massive fruit for a powerful wine that still retained the classic, lacy and textured Palmer style. One of the greatest wines from 1986.
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Decanted for more than 1 hr. Elegant wine, with nothing out of tune. Mild, restrained, but so typicall bdx nose. Some earth some herbs. On the palate it has a presence but woudl have loved some more vitality some more enrgy. Still this is a great well aged wine and will put a smile on your face for sure. 93-94. Drinks very well at the moment.
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First birthday wine of the night, paired with filet mignon. Decanted about 4 hours before serving. Brick red around the rim with a powerful nose of blackcurrant, plum, and earth. The tannins are silky smooth...this was a pleasure to drink. This wine is fully mature at the moment and should be enjoyed now.
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Drinks with Magdalena at Home. What a surprise, a stunning bottle, lovely and floral on the nose and in the mouth tannins have resovled nicely leaving it nice and silky with dark fruits, but still a nice dry grip at the back of your mouth. Love it. Second bottle just as good, maybe even better as it had spent more time in the decanter. Maybe less opulent than the more illustrious 83, but enjoyed it every bit as much and it got a longer life ahead.
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Medium/deep garnet core, pale garnet rim. Developed, regal nose showing plenty of soil, some tobacco and underlying cedary blackcurrant fruit. Hint of iron but quite fragrant. Medium bodied on the palate, quite austere on the mid-palate with cedary blackcurrant fruit, distinct earthy notes, hints of tobacco and coffee - good complexity - then balanced acidity on the good length finish which shows traces of dusty tannin. A classic, old-fashioned, correct claret, complex and enjoyable if perhaps lacking a little charm and seductiveness.
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Thick, dark ruby red. Intensely sweet, powerful fruity nose. Forward aromas of plums and blackcurrant with a hint of gravelly earth underneath. Firm, structured tannins and well balanced acidity. Massive concentrated flavours on the opulent palate with ripe powerful black fruits, an intense flavour of cassis, toffee and persistent smoky tobacco notes on the very long finish. Excellent
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Battle of the 1980's with Charles Metcalfe and Sebastian Payne (Merchant Taylors' Hall, London EC2): Cedary, blackcurrant, relatively youthful nose. Deep, dark and intense. Meaty hints. Medium/full bodied on the palate, lithe with lovely line, deep, dark, pure fruit - attractive, "old-fashioned" slightly bitter edge, but also plenty of contrasting sweetness. Vibrant (but balanced) acidity, firm but fine tannins, very, very long finish. Another great '86 - in fine form. ****1/2
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From my last tasting a month ago, it was so young and high in acidity.
This bottle, we let it breath almost 3 hours. The typical Palmer's cassis shows up very seductive. Ahhh...I just think about my mistake, I never fall in love with Palmer until I taste many old vintages. Palmer should be drunk when it's about 20-25 years old for normal vintage. For the best one, should keep 30 years up.
1986 today is more ready than the last bottle, nice fruit, well-balance, good complex, 1 year too young. It's not great but truly classic and good feeling drinkin' at the moment. It effects to my soul, I have to taste my 1967 again soon.
...................good old days......................
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Not giving much on the nose, but there is lovely sweet fruit on the initial attack that pulls you in. Really tasty on the palate with dark cherries and blueberries. Still with a big structure, but the tannins are sweet and easy on the long finish. One of the bigger surprises of the night.
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1986 Bordeaux Night @ The Hawksmoor: slight lightening around edges but still young looking in the glass. on the nose it gave off some reddish fruits and plumswith a touch of cedar wood, in the mouth this was just sublime, silky and very long. the tannins were soft and well integrated the minerally fruit was bright and vibrant. i had this 2 or 3 years ago and thought it was nice then but now it is really really hitting its stride. i would have loved a big glass of this wine, tied for WOTN for me
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Nice fruit and cassis, very high acidity, medium-bodied, getting better after 3 hours, easy fallin' in love with this wine. IMO, should wait another 10 years to let the acid more settle then it must be my favorite type.
LdC Palmer vs. Margaux Dinner (Primehouse): Full red color. Full bright spicy red fruit with a hint of oak. Nice tight rich red fruit with some sweetness left. Nice, WOTF.
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Margaux vs. Palmer Dinner, served in single blind flights (Primehouse - Chicago IL): Single blind 86 Margaux and Palmer flight. Big fruit on both nose and palate, but very silky and nicely textured. Great floral aspect as well. Solid tannic structure in middle, transitioning into a more lacy, spicy wine on finish. This wine probably exceeded expectations more than any other tonight.
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Very nice. Lovely nose when just opened, very fruity and well structured. Decanted amd served at 18* after having been resting for an hour. Faboulus, lots of structure but a little closed on the fruit side. Should probably have left it open for 3 hours or so before drining it. Velvety tannins.
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Very nice wine, but didn't blow me away. Some of the AZ crew thought there was a touch of TCA taint to this, which would explain the relative dullness, although I didn't get the TCA. Earthy with a little, not a lot, of fruit on the front. On the younger side, but ready to drink. Went beautifully with the lamb, and was clearly an excellent bottle, but I wonder if it might have been better. Decanted for 3 hours.
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Verticale of Chateau Palmer (Toulouse, France): Weak nose, silky palate with well-rounded tannins, earthy finsh but globally a rather basic wine. I thought it could be the ringer, and it was a huge surprise to learn it was the '86. A couple of hours afterwards I tasted it blind again and noticed some hints of TCA - when it was revealed it was '86, I thought maybe that was a possible explanation. An off-bottle for sure.
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1/26/2024 - Philip_Bundpropperne Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rating: 4,5/5,0.
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1/6/2024 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Poor quality cork, sadly slightly stewed
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12/5/2023 - chb_1984 wrote: 96 Points
Phantastic! Matured perdectly! Cigar box, forrest floor etc. very balanced.
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7/12/2023 - vinko84 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderfully matured claret. Great cedar-inky nose. Long finish. Went great with the prime rib!
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1/25/2023 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Next to 1994 and 2015 Palmer. The 86 stole the show. Had the same nuanced iron note on the nose, followed to the palate with a soft and easy drinking profile. A wonderful perfume, a nice level of complexity without being completely beguiling.
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7/24/2022 - Elliot Vale Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted immediately before severing, great colour, great condition. Nose of cedar, blackberry and wonderfully smooth.
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7/2/2022 - levicn Likes this wine: 93 Points
浑浊的宝石红偏石榴红色,闻香有皮毛牲厩味,鲜甜红果,一股肉鲜,入口酸度高,单宁紧致,颗粒细腻,酒液咸,矿物感强烈,话梅的香气,咸橄榄般的口感,胭脂香料,还有石墨的气息,酒应该有很长的年份了,展现出充分陈年的状态,肉质已经不多,酒体偏瘦,结构感清晰,余味是漂亮的木质香气。体会的是绚烂过后慢慢归于平淡的平和与优雅。
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4/2/2022 - Mbbarros wrote:
Perfeito
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2/3/2022 - jackaroo wrote: 95 Points
Fill about an inch below the bottle neck. Cork saturated about half way up with the top half crumbling. Stored in passive cellar since release. A testament to ageing potential under ideal conditions. The 1986 was still on an upward drinking curve. Delicious, complex, integrated and intensely fulfilling.
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12/27/2021 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Quite musty nose at first, but that note disappeared almost completely with air. The nose is mature with red fruit, mushrooms, cedar, and forest floor notes. Good acidity with fully integrated tannins and flavors of red fruit and dark cherries on the palate. Nice finish. Great, fully mature Bordeaux that tastes quite a bit older than some of the other 86s I’ve had (especially compared to Mouton from a few days ago).
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6/9/2021 - pavel_p wrote: 90 Points
Have had several bottles of 86 Palmer over the years and they have ranged from outstanding to just ok. This was unfortunately again in the later camp. Excellent bottom neck fill. Top of cork fairly moldy but overall cork in very good shape and came out in one piece. Still a fairly dark with a thin translucent rim. Plenty of sous bois, borderline TCA which I unfortunately often get in mature Bordeaux from damp cellars. On the palate the dark fruit is not tired but fairly thin, again sous bois notes, tannins are well integrated for 86, short finish. Disappointing bottle.
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4/3/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
[Magnum] Nose is surprisingly showy and expressive and has lush black and red fruit. Quite perfumed and pretty. More projection and detail than the '86 Cos d'Estournel mag and by far the '95 Talbot jero. Palate is lush with resolved tannin and a silky texture to the dense balckberry fruit. Quite lovely overall.
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2/20/2021 - AudunG wrote: flawed
Corked.
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12/21/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 98 Points
During an exuberant wash down the 2020 Covid year with some good Bordeaux Lunch&Dinner. Not a fan of the 1986 vintage but this bottle showed amazingly well and stunned the table. Ripe nose, vanilla, Black forest cake, tertiary earthy notes intermixed. Grand
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11/9/2020 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic stuff indeed. Everything you want in a bottle. Elegance over raw power.
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2/3/2020 - SARED Likes this wine: 95 Points
94-95. Nice earthy note after 2 hours of air.
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2/2/2020 - Orso58 wrote: 89 Points
Re, but quite light colour. Starting to look mature
Typical boreaux blend bouquet, but not as oppulent as we expected. No distinct flavours of fruit.
Quite silky on the palate, but somewhat disappointing concentration and length.
All in all didn't quite live up to quite high expectations, might not have benn a 100% bottle
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12/24/2019 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 Points
In my cellar since release. Decanted at 4pm and tasted over the next 6 hours and with Christmas Eve dinner. Medium garnet color with no bricking. Nose was very expansive with floral tones, earthy leather and sous bois and a red fruited undertone. Palate still had some tannic structure and bright acidity. Flavors included red cherry, red currant and red plum in layers with earthy leather and tobacco throughout. Very long finish. Delicious throughout the night but eclipsed for just a few magical moments by the ‘70 Ch. Lascombes.
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9/9/2019 - acyso wrote: flawed
Dinner at Pizzeria Bebu (Chicago, IL): Served blind as to vintage. Sadly there was a slight bit of TCA that got worse in a hurry. But in the five minutes I was able to evaluate this, I found plenty of the magical Palmer perfume; the palate though was quite thin and structural. Given the higher tannin content, I guessed 1975; I'm pretty happy with that.
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7/20/2019 - ilee Likes this wine: 90 Points
Healthy ruby color, with bright floral and red berry notes on the nose. But on the palate, the fruit is weaker than I remember. It has lost weight since my last encounter, and had trouble holding up against the rich flavors of the Hainan chicken rice (house version) we were having. It's not unpleasant, but it's past its best, and will not make old bones. Drink up, drink up!
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6/12/2019 - englishman's claret wrote:
2019 Palmerathon: Slightly off I think, but initially at least showing enough of the dense, plush, deep raspberry and violet to give an idea as to what the 86 Palmer has to offer and where it stands stylistically in the line-up of the 1980s. The substance underneath the flaw was at least in the 94 range.
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3/16/2019 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Aromatic, and typical Margaux on the nose, with flowers and leather. Also some aromas in the direction of TCA. These disappeared after a while. Quite rustique on the palate, which could related to the vintage. Maybe not a perfect bottle. Or, should it have been decanted more?
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3/9/2019 - richy1849 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely nose! Perfect color! Needs a couple of hours of decanting to resusitate this 86. Cedar, raspberry and blueberry overtones. Good match with rack of lamb.
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2/21/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Unlike the 85 alongside which benefits from air but doesn’t absolutely need it, the 86 is a tight, monolithic wine out of the gate. This absolutely needs 2 hours of decanting before really over-delivering with a suave nose - elegant but with lots of the power of 86; red currant, blueberry, plum, cedar, loam, and subtle touches of violet. A masculine expression of Palmer. Good balance, long finish. The best days are ahead (Or now with a decant). What fun to drink this with the 85 - Palmer tells the story of the two vintages articulately.
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2/20/2019 - wineappreciation wrote: 94 Points
Cigar box, hints of decayed blackberry, cedar, cumin; full, aged but firm and very much alive, intense and powerful presence throughout, balanced, formed, classic, forcible yet refined; lovely
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1/19/2019 - LWI wrote: flawed
1986 Left Bank Bordeaux: At first and intriguing and sweet smell, aka mature strawberries, moderate body, a hint of tannin, seductive. 94p
After 15 minutes, it deteriorated, more brett, collapsing fruit.
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1/17/2019 - GuWin wrote: flawed
Bordeaux 1986 Stock, Oslo: Stram og tett duft, men skjemmes av kork. Solbær og støvete kjellertoner/gamle bøker ligger under. Stram, mangler frukt, lite "punch".
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1/15/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 93 Points
1986 Palmer
Parfymert, forførende in your face duft med tobakk. Tørket frukt, tobakk, parfyme, lær, mineraler, kaffe. . Dette er elegant til å være Palmer. . Lang. 93
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1/1/2019 - LB88 wrote: 94 Points
Easily WOTN, balanced and delicious
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12/15/2018 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Wasn’t impressed with this one. Bottle was in great shape and didn’t come across flawed when tasting. Just didn’t live up to the expectations I had. If rating would probably be around 89 points for me. Hopefully bottle variation as I’ve never had a Palmer I didn’t love.
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8/24/2018 - asgerG wrote: 96 Points
DnP. Very much like the bottle I had in July but this was more balanced and tannins almost totally resolved. This lead to an overall more complete experience and it was a real delight to drink.
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7/22/2018 - vinhslee wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 mins.
Deep garnet in colour.
Fresh floral scent (smells like taking a stroll in a florist), plenty of cassis and cedar aroma.
On the palate, the high acidity is balanced by plenty of cassis, blackcurrant, dark cherries, earthy, tobacco, tea leaves flavours and well-judged oak. Tannins are ripe, still firm and not quite resolved yet. No hard edges, but flavours not quite harmonised.
Afterall, judging from the strength of the fruity flavours, this wine has plenty of years ahead. On serving, it should benefit from further aeration. This is not a typical feminine expression of Palmer / Margaux.
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4/18/2018 - Jiří Betlach Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful, full of wine, violets, coffee, spices, berries, especially blackcurrant, blueberries. Perfect balance. In parallel with Chateau Palmer 1986, the best cuvée of Central and Eastern Europe Cuvée Attila 2002 (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) from the Gere Attila winery, Villány, South Hungary was tested. Cuvée Attila is much younger but slightly better in all directions than Chateau Palmer. Yet both wines can be considered remarkable and both can be highly recommended! My ratings Chateau Palmer '86 - 94/100, Cuveé Attila '02 - 97/100. (drink 2018 - 2025)
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4/7/2018 - asgerG wrote: 93 Points
DnP. Beautiful garnet red, yellow rim, 5.5, younger appearance than expected for a 32 years old Bdx. Complex bouquet although I had expected more, however finely balanced with dark fruits, black currant, spicyness, coffee, mature sweet stuff, violets. Racy harmonious palate, old school Bdx style typically 1986, still a good portion tannin, elegant finish. Drink now-2030 at least.
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1/17/2018 - LOZFOZ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at 67PM
Started with a funky nose but, after half an hour in the decanter, began to blow off and open up. In the meantime we had been sampling a glass of Ch. Haut Brion ‘95, so were not twiddling our thumbs.
A beautifully crafted claret with wonderful secondary tones on the nose but without having lost that refined primary fruit and graphite Palmer touch. Whilst it continued to improve, it didn’t completely bowl me over and I wouldn’t cellar for more than another decade, perhaps less.
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1/17/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Two 1986 Bordeaux (Yan's China Bistro, Walnut Creek, Ca.): At Yans to enjoy two 1986 Bordeaux and marinated steak with Mike, nose of mustiness, black cherry, cigar box, mushroom, and plum, more of the same on the palate, big body, very tasty, slightly muted fruit due to hints of cork taint, musty nose slowly disappeared by fifty percent, rich fruit and their terrific wine making in this great vintage saved the day for me, rich fruit, mouth filling fruit, more intense than the Chateau Lynch- Bages but less complex today, and a long finish.
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12/20/2017 - dchain Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slight improvement from a year ago. Lovely ruby color looking young and vigorous. So open on the first pour, cherry, plum, leather, soil and spice notes. Very sexy and feminine tonight. Lovely length and balance on the palate. Really delicious now and quite frankly a bargain priced Palmer that is really one of the few 86s that brings a pleasurable drinking experience.
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12/2/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind: I served this blind to today's tasting group, fitting it in nicely immediately after Ken's 1983 Palmer/Margaux pairing. Black fruit, earth and faint cigarbox aromas, this nose was so similar to the 1983 Palmer. More structured, however vs the 1983, and slightly less complex or nuanced. Very long, powerful finish.
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12/2/2017 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Saturday Blind Tasting - Bordeaux '03 and Older (Chevalier Fine Wines): Blind. Another gorgeous nose of dense plum fruit, mineral and tobacco. Rich fruit but so elegantly styled. Lithe and lifted palate. Very good complexity and layering throughout. Excellent, but not quite as good as the '83 Palmer tasted before it.
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11/19/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
I have not drunk the 86 in almost 3 years so it was nice to drink it again. Robe was light red, classic mature Bordeaux of mushrooms, truffles, background of red fruits, light to medium bodied with all the tannins melted away, feminine & so graceful
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11/17/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Always like Palmer and this one was no different. Right in a nice spot. Some black fruit, lots of tobacco, violets, cigar. Enjoyable.
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9/4/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
8th of 12, decanted an hour, damp and crumbly cork, top shoulder level, more fruit and more intense than last bottle in 2013, odd corky note which has been a characteristic of all previous bottles in case spoiling what looks to be a very fine wine, obviously not corked as the last glass was the best. Just about F (17.5).
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9/2/2017 - Sean M wrote: flawed
Unfortunately TCA. I have had other bottles with a great experience, but this cork was pretty bad.
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5/27/2017 - Fred_Bo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfect! Like previous note!
Wow!
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5/19/2017 - Fred_Bo Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a beauty! Looked like a 10 year old wine!
Mature, developed notes of smoked meat, BBQ, raspberry and earthy notes. WOW.
When Margaux wants to play Pauillac! Not so heavy on the tobacco but more focus on the BBQ. Really delicious and what a provenance!
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3/17/2017 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Absolutely singing. Wonderful freshness with classical mature claret notes. Lovely.
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3/6/2017 - Papies wrote: flawed
Corked, much like the previous bottle.. shame.
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12/17/2016 - TightLettuce Likes this wine: 98 Points
From Magnum - PnP
Bottle was ex-chateau, purchased and cellared for 2 year before opening
Color was a deep crimson with obvious signs of bricking.
Nose was incredible. Still plenty of fruit coming forward, wild raspberry and strawberry encased in a field of roses and dried violet. notes of earthy mushroom lingered in the depths.
On the palate, similar notes came through. The tannins were floating they were so soft. Everything was well balanced, as layer after layer of flavor rolls down effortlessly. The finish was med +, but not as long as I would of expected.
The magnum is singing right now, just an amazing expression at this point. Easily one of the best experiences ive had in a long long time.
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8/25/2016 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 1986 Palmer is a rather masculine expression of this often rather buxom Château, and actually resembles nothing so much as the powerful savory and firm Palmer '45. The wine opens up to reveal an attractive bouquet of earthy cassis, cedar, a bass note of dried ceps and a top note of rose petal. On the palate the wine is concentrated, intense and still firmly structured, with plenty of years ahead of it, and probably a decade before it begins to drink at peak. A striking contrast to the heady, open-knit 1985 Palmer.
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8/4/2016 - ZaphodB wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for around 1,5 hour. Rich nose with notes of cigar box, black currants and roses. Long lasting taste with still vivid fruit, notes of black currants, roses and tobacco.
Good, but don't wait much longer for it.
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7/13/2016 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 93 Points
First tasted 10 years ago, when this wine was still fighting fit, it is clearly now passed its best. Once such great wine, now with faded fruit and some overbearing earthiness coming through. Drink up.
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5/6/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Better on the nose, with its earthy, tobacco, cigar box, cedar and cherry character, than on the palate, which like many wines from this vintage is on the strict side. This is a wine for consumers that prefer their Bordeaux on the classic side of the style range. The wine was made from a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place from October 2 to October 16.
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4/14/2016 - dchain Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still quite young but just starting to yield a bit. Good Margaux perfume of white flowers (honeysuckle), sandlewood and dark cherry. Still a little close on the palate but great substance, flavor and length. No hard edges and finally enjoyable now but certainly no rush to drink this. Could improve further!
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3/7/2016 - Markus IWC wrote: 60 Points
Vertikal provning Palmer, 86 tyvärr kork skadad.
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3/2/2016 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 91 Points
Upplevs som väldigt lätt och silkigt, men utan den riktiga komplexiteten som man skulle önska. Men självklart ett väldigt bra vinn
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2/11/2016 - ylim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opulent dense dark berries. Silly Fine tannins and layers of flavored open slowly in the palette. Very balance now and enjoyable.
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1/31/2016 - comfycat wrote:
tawny color, strong nosing of cedar and floral, still good palate with complexity
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1/25/2016 - apereira018 wrote:
Jantar com fhc e calderon
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12/10/2015 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Deep and cloudy garnet. A fantastic showing tonight with awesome aromatics right out of the gate: Ripe red cherries, strawberries, white flowers (lilies), violets, some damp underbrush, and fascinating notes of minty chocolate and coffee. Soft on the palate with more ripe red fruits, mostly strawberry, with good earth-driven secondary tones and very mellow tannins. More or less everything you'd want out of a Margaux wine and red Bordeaux in general. Decidedly outperformed (smashed) an '86 Ducru Beaucaillou enjoyed alongside in an impromptu '86 Left Bank matchup.
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11/30/2015 - dchoo077 Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP and drank over 1.5hrs. A bit reserved on the nose initially but opened up with some air. On the palate, this wine had a level of intensity and verve which one would associate with a wine maybe 10-15yrs younger. Tannins fully resolved. Had an understated power which was wrapped up beautifully in a silky texture. Long clean finish. This is drinking at peak but feels like it can hold at this level for another 5-10yrs. A wonderful mature expression of Margaux!
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11/12/2015 - Paul D wrote:
Chateau Palmer Dinner (La Trompette, Chiswick): Open, expressive nose with dark fruit, touch of beef, gravel. Quite youthful. Medium/full bodied, cool blackcurrant fruit, vigorous, firm but very fine, correct tannin, great depth, vibrant acidity, expands impressively into an extremely long, harmonious finish. Outstanding *****.
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11/12/2015 - englishman's claret wrote:
Dense, tight, dark, and smooth - not showing much yet but it will. It appears as though other bottles are more evolved. Came out of a cold cellar and we drank this with decent glasses but no decanter (long Audouze) in our suite at the Place Vendome Westin.
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11/12/2015 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
Ian A's Palmer @ Trompette (La Trompette, London): Darker. Full deep ruby. A lot denser and tighter on the nose. Some leafiness with tighter fruit. Very smooth and harmonious. Wouldn't pick this as 86, blind. Far more integrated and resolved than at the Medlar Palmer offline in 2011. A denseness but not a hardness. A really vally very good bottle deed. ****1\2
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8/14/2015 - ETT95 wrote: 94 Points
This 29 years old Palmer is young and presenting high quality Margaux. When first opened, strong plum and cedar at nose, with a little floral hint. After two hours of decanting, the wine is still dancing with more intense smell of coffee beans develops. Tannin has all been well integrated, acidity is adequate in balancing this more fruity wine. It's an elegant, lighter-version Bordeaux which tastes more like a Burgundy. It should be served light chilled and it's enjoyable from now
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6/8/2015 - aajder wrote: 91 Points
Maturing color. The nose is aromatic, showing aromas of dark fruits, berries, cedar, flowers and a bit of charred oak. This is medium full bodied on the palate with very good concentration and good finesse. The fairly long finish shows slightly gritty tannins.
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3/13/2015 - Lype Likes this wine:
No formal notes.
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2/22/2015 - AllRed wrote: flawed
Second Sunday Group: Margaux (M's): As soon as the glass came anywhere near your nose you knew this was corked. A real shame as the palate did have a bit of fruit showing under the TCA. Too bad.
My #9, Domino's #9
Group #9, 99 pts
This is the first time I recall a unanimous vote in the group. There's a few people who are not as sensitive to TCA and will sometimes have a tainted wine ranked 2nd or 3rd to last. I don't know why I find this interesting enough to note, but I do.
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2/18/2015 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow still a medium dark red, good color for a 29 year old
Nose: lovely, still alive with secondary aromas, a beautiful nose
Palate; this is a very good bottle having opened 3 86s in the last 1.5years, elegant medium bodied Palmer, the tannins have softened to reveal a silky smooth margaux that goes down superbly, not long nor complex but a good wine with food
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11/28/2014 - Mige wrote:
What a wine! Red cherries, cigarbox, earth and tryffel. Round, smooth and flirty palette with good tannic structure. Long and intensive aftertaste. Still another decade to go.
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11/7/2014 - etyc Likes this wine:
Vivino - Singapore "chapter" (the opening) (Imperial Treasure, Great World City): Final red/wine of the night. A sweet, cedary/flowery nose. Dark-fruit profile on the palate, "milky" chocolate too. Silky, elegant and long. This must be a Margaux, but which one? We (or at least myself) were gasping when it was revealed to be a '86 Palmer. Still so young (but enjoyable already) with lots of stuffing to last at least another decade. And so, what started off as a rainy and gloomy evening ended on a high, night-is-still-young note! Till the next Vivino session... Special thanks to Johan & Bok!
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10/4/2014 - dhlau wrote: 92 Points
Pencil shaving, cedar, old leather to the nose after 5 hours of decanting. The palate contains some acidity, feminine, well balanced, with some fruits. The finish is longish but only to mid palate. Higher percentage of Merlot than Medoc producers.
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9/27/2014 - pavel_p wrote: 91 Points
Unfortunately by far not as convincing as another bottle a year ago. Bottom neck, completely soaked cork. Was going to quickly double decant and take to restaurant but the wine did not show particularly well despite pouring it back into the decanter for another 30 min. In the end poured it once again back into the bottle, put into fridge and opened a 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste instead to take to the restaurant. Drank half of bottle of the Palmer after coming back. The wine was showing a fine nose with forest floor and fine dark fruits, similarly on the palate where it was somewhat astringent with a relative lack of fruit, fine (+) tannins, and a short to medium finish. Good but not great. A pity.
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9/7/2014 - Outplaying wrote:
Good ullage and cork completely soaked through. Popped and poured into a decanter and followed over about 2.5 hours though the wine didn't really change much. I love the smell of aged wine. Earthy, leather, tobacco notes that follow through on the palate. Light/medium weight. Light tannin and lots of acidity. There wasn't a lot of fruit remaining and I would say this is slightly unbalanced due to the high acid and lack of fruit. A touch of mint at first but that faded as the wine continued to open. I get the sense this bottle would have been better a few years ago when there may have been a little more fruit to balance everything. A fun experience drinking a wine from the year I graduated high school.
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9/1/2014 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Color: Still a healthy red hue with bricking on edges,
Nose: savory, tea leaves, Asian spices, like a young cdp! Still alive red fruits, wow! Complex, mature Bordeaux, hard to believe its 28 years old! Love the nose ... my favorite chateau, Palmer never disappoints
Palate: feminine, lovely mature margaux, immense pleasure, still singing after 2 hours in the glass, nothing like a fully mature palmer for an after dinner drink, this would give the 89 Palmer a good run for its $, intellectual, cerebral ...went so well with some good company & mellow jazz numbers coming from the speakers .... just a wonderful evening
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8/23/2014 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely deep dark ruby color. Lots of Brett, earth, tobacco, vanilla, black fruits like black plum, black currant and blackberry. On the palate you get cedar, mushroom, blackberry and a minty finish. Elegant and supremely balanced. No negative signs of age. Delicious with grilled loin lamb chops and rosemary. Much better than my last bottle.
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5/3/2014 - ilee Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dinner at Jada's (Chez Jada): 2nd bottle opened tonight and this one delivered the goods. Beautiful floral bouquet, sharp and precise, with loads of warm summer berries, the nose was pure enjoyment. Medium bodied, with rounded gentle tannins and a rambunctious fruity character, this wine was quite a surprise given the backward, aloof character of the vintage. For those who enjoy mature Bordeaux, you really could do much worse than buy a case of this terrific wine to drink unhurriedly over the next 6-8 years
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5/3/2014 - ilee wrote: flawed
Dinner at Jada's (Chez Jada): Top shoulder fill. Cork was so soft it fragmented into 5 different pieces on the way out. Light brownish hue, which was worrying. A quick sniff confirmed what I feared -- vinegar
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4/2/2014 - NEwino wrote: 97 Points
Nose was incredible. What was in the glass and on my mouth was life changing. This was an outstanding example of what properly aged Bordeaux should taste like. The subtle power and beauty that this wine had was simply incredible. Outstanding!!!!
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3/28/2014 - wino121 wrote: 95 Points
Epic,
Nose 96,
The taste 94.
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3/22/2014 - maxcab wrote: flawed
corked! two bottles of '86 from different sources both corked!
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2/21/2014 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tried a 3hr double decant this time (see my previous note), and there was a clear improvement. So much richer (much richer), full bodied and sweet and long finish. Tanins a bit drying otherwise it would score even higher. Really good and under-rated, and will be better in 5yrs.
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1/29/2014 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 93 Points
An aristocratic (relative) value diamond that I enjoyed far more than my score will demonstrate. From a pristine bottle from my cellar - perfect cork and levels. Double decanted 2hrs and cooled down, then drunk over 2hrs with Thai beef red curry and parmesan. It was all too easy for me to finish a whole bottle - this is one of the best balanced and precise wines I've drink in a long time. Some may say the wine is 'light' and to me this misses the point... indeed it's not why I enjoy Palmer. This does still have an initial tannic grip, but with time in the glass this relaxes and is complemented by wonderfully balanced acidity. I don't generally like 1986s but this is super. Now, the nose was initially highly disappointing (its why I drink Palmers), but then opened into tobacco and cedar (still disappointing for me), then - worryingly - wet fur and finally with my last glasses the classic violet aromas I was searching for started to whisper. I am betting this will be superb in another 5yrs, and glad I've still got a case (and for only 1/3 the price of the 83 Palmer). If you like elegant wines with class, and have pristine bottles, this is a real treat to savour for another 10yrs+. Such an unappreciated vintage of Palmer... technically rated 93 (nose/taste), but enjoyment rated about 96 (sheer class). A softly-spoken charmer.
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12/31/2013 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
Another fine Palmer thanks' to my brother's friend Andy Aziz (our 4th New Year's with a Palmer), this one was finely aged and very, very nice - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, black fruit, cigar box, tobacco, earth, spice, funk and vanilla, impeccably balanced and fine, very complex, dusty, yet sweet on the palate with terrific length, awesome experience (93 Points).
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12/22/2013 - Giggs wrote: 92 Points
Brittle cork. Decanted 2 hours. Deep black cherry, mature, dry cigar, catcher's mitt. Still has nice mature red fruit on the palate and nicely balanced through the finish.
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12/7/2013 - Papies wrote:
Brittle cork raised the concern level to defcon 4.. And the nose confirmed our worries. Light corked feel on the nose, not a killer but enough to spoil the fun. We had this wine twice so far a couple of years ago and both times rated 93. This time it was not such a pristine experience. We will not rate this time round.
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11/15/2013 - Goldstone Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Decanted for an hour and then drank over the next 2 hours. Transparent ruby-amber colour and showing the first signs of separation with a very deep transparent meniscus across the surface. Nose is still holding some classic alluring Margaux perfume but all rather muted. Palate is disappointingly hollow on the entry and then gets worse in the middle with just acidity and cold tea tannin but no fruit or even tertiary remnants….all the more disappointing as I generally prefer claret at this stage of its life. Dilute and short finish. Very disappointing, especially as the ullage was good and the cork was fine.
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11/7/2013 - rwpalmer wrote: 85 Points
Sadly this bottle (the last of case) seemed over-mature and rather joyless. A sad farewell to a wine I always enjoyed much more than the critics suggested should be the case.
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9/27/2013 - Wine_lvr wrote: flawed
Palmer Vertical Tasting (1982 - 2004) (Switzerland): Unfortunately a flawed bottle. Showed nice depth underneath.
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8/27/2013 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in Bordeaux
We were worried about the cork as it was very wet but luckily the wine was perfect. Classic mature claret with everything in the right place. Drinking really nicely now.
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8/20/2013 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cork in perfect condition. Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Then...wow. so young on the nose still suggested this needed longer, then on the palate even more pronounced, this tasted more like a '96 but better. Second and tertiary palates just kept going and going. This wine could have been cellared for a least another 10 years. Sublime.
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7/7/2013 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened bottle due to slight leakage (however still bottom neck fill). Completely soaked cork came out in one piece. Needs 30 min in decanter and then it's a stunning wine. Medium garnet. Nose of forest floor and dark berries. Fantastic balance on the palate (12% alcohol...), floral notes and a bouquet of sweet fruit, fine tannins, medium plus finish. Seems at peak now and the best mature Bordeaux I have had. Worked well with steak at home and equally well on its own.
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6/30/2013 - bronww wrote: flawed
Bottle was cooked. Obvious signs of past seepage and heat damage.
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5/11/2013 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux (mostly 80s) at La Fonda del Sol (NYC): Acquitted itself well in the flight with the Haut Brion, showing a bit of the stern side of the 86 vintage, but very, very nice. Well balanced, fresh, both red and black fruits with citrus and tobacco, mature.
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5/11/2013 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Old Bordeaux at La Fonda del Sol (NYC): Darker fruited and more powerful than the Haut-Brion, this is more an iron fist with a rich core of fruit framed by floral, spicy and cedary elements, and a firm tannic backbone still suggesting at plenty of time ahead. There's plenty of complexity and aromatic depth now, but the structure and richness here suggest there's a lot of time ahead.
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5/7/2013 - -E- wrote: 94 Points
Ch. Palmer vertikal (Oslo): Klar, mørk rød med innslag av oransje. Dyp nese med nydelig rød- og blåbærfrukt, innsmigrende sødme og hint av kokos. Bløt, klar, livlig og frisk frukt. Frisk, saftig og presis syre. Delikat. Milde, men faste tanniner. Flott lengde.
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5/7/2013 - LWI wrote: flawed
Palmer vertical: Mixture of Spearmint and brett, some thought it might have hint of TCA, but after a while it became clear that this was not the issue, but it was not quite correct bottle. Unclean. Short, lacking fruit
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4/20/2013 - WineCellarTV wrote: 88 Points
We decanted the wine and give it two hours until we started tasting, drank the first half over 6 hours on the first day and the second half of the bottle on the next day.
The cork had soaked up a lot of wine and was very soft, but seemed to be intact.
Appears deep garnet-red with lighter edges.
Medium color density and concentration, but still vital!
Decent and elegant nose, dominated by secondary characteristics of Mint, Leather and Dark Chocolate and, sadly, some unpleasant cellar notes.
Hardly any Fruit in the beginning. Later some weak aromas of Black Currants and Dark Cherries. Earthy aromas. Sweet Vanilla and Tobacco.
Elegant and interesting, but- honestly- weak and faded.
Elegant Fruit Flavors of Dark Berries and Cherries paired with present Leathery, Dusty and Smoky flavors. Earth.
Nice texture and round mouthfeel.
Finishes medium-long with warm pepperiness, soft tannins and delicate acidity.
Medium complexity, with little density and substance.
Altogether, a nice wine, but- especially considering the reputation and greatness of the vintage- still a disappointment.
No TCA, but faded with signs of oxidation, as the fruit had almost disappeared and the wine was lacking density, vibrancy and freshness.
Even though the wine improved over the long drinking period, mostly due to the fact that the unpleasant aromas declined, it definitely wasn´t an ideal bottle.
More details at cellartv.wordpress.com
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3/9/2013 - liber Likes this wine: 90 Points
Med deep red, brown on rim, glycerine evident, mercopan whiff, more baked plums than blackcurrant, though with decent secondaries, good mouthfeel, though dry tannins reasonably covered with attractive and complex underlying fruit, mature but should develop further, probably slightly flawed bottle and not a patch on recently consumed 89, 85, 83 and 66. (17/20)
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3/7/2013 - chevalblanc1959 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another splendid example of Palmer at its finest, consistent with all the other bottles I have been fortunate to enjoy. Youthful colour, earthy leathery nose, wonderfully long and smooth on the palate. A real gem.
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3/2/2013 - lozatron wrote:
Jolly good stuff. If I found again at that price - a definite buy.
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1/20/2013 - oliverz Likes this wine: 92 Points
wonderful nose, full bodied, a lot of fruit
perfect to drink now, but still potential
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10/13/2012 - johnh1001 wrote: 91 Points
Drank over two hours. Dense, tight nose of dark fruit, leather and cedar. Dark, sleek black fruit on the palate. Soft, but closed. Maybe this needed more time in the glass. Medium finish.
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9/1/2012 - oldwines wrote: 92 Points
Deep dark ruby color. Nose of cassis leather, earth and cedar. After 4 hours breathing it was round and soft yet still lively with a bit of tannin remaining. My guess is this still has a good bit of life left. On the palate you get dark berry and cassis then a layer of saddle leather then a cedar aftertaste which is moderately long. Lovely expression of a Margaux. Surprising it went really well with a Swiss Chard side-dish with bacon really setting off a smoky earthy explosion in the mouth.
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2/19/2012 - chevalblanc1959 wrote: 95 Points
Great ruby colour surprising for its age. Good red fruit still emerging together with minor earthy undertones.Typical wonderful Palmer smoothness, the tannins (in spite of the vintage) very well integrated, it is pure silk, the essence of a great Margaux, a real privilege and treat to be able to drink and enjoy.
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1/31/2012 - vespasian wrote: 93 Points
Strong ruby core, very little fade at the rim; vey rich berried fruits which show little evolution. Sweet and perfumed. A little cedar but still quite primary - gorgeous aromatics. Sweet entry, lovely red berried sweet fruits. Still some considerable matter here. Sinewy tannins on finish. Lovely savour and poise though. Minerals on back palate. Dry but not drying finish. Still time to develop.
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12/3/2011 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Colour shows the age. Bricking all around. Herbal notes, light earthy notes, some cedar. Tannins are now well integrated and the wine feels to be declining as it lost its vibrancy. We guess this is how the lovely 96s will age. Drink now 92-93
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11/22/2011 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
A Palmer Vertical 1966-1999 (Medlar, Chelsea, London): This even tighter, darker, very tannic, lots of substance, I'd expect this to be superb in 10+ years time
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11/22/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Ch Palmer @ Medlar (The Medlar, London): Here surprisingly there's a slight jaminess on the nose with a minty coolness cutting across it. Good tannins but a sweetness of fruit too. Still quite tight and buttoned up. There's the fruit here for the long haul but at the moment it's two different wines lightly stitched together. ***(*)
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10/23/2011 - psmith wrote:
Palmer Vertical (Boka): Very young, dark, with purple fruits and characteristic (vintage rather than wine) aggressive, hard tannins. Classic flavors but still very, very primary. Great raw materials but hard to say how long this may take.
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10/23/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Chateau Palmer Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Black fruit on both nose and palate with good floral elements in background. Dense tannic structure and acidity come through from middle to finish, combining with the massive fruit for a powerful wine that still retained the classic, lacy and textured Palmer style. One of the greatest wines from 1986.
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6/2/2011 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for more than 1 hr. Elegant wine, with nothing out of tune. Mild, restrained, but so typicall bdx nose. Some earth some herbs. On the palate it has a presence but woudl have loved some more vitality some more enrgy. Still this is a great well aged wine and will put a smile on your face for sure. 93-94. Drinks very well at the moment.
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4/27/2011 - Otm Shank wrote: 96 Points
First birthday wine of the night, paired with filet mignon. Decanted about 4 hours before serving. Brick red around the rim with a powerful nose of blackcurrant, plum, and earth. The tannins are silky smooth...this was a pleasure to drink. This wine is fully mature at the moment and should be enjoyed now.
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11/27/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 85 Points
Not in shape. Bad bottle?
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4/26/2010 - PatrikO wrote: 95 Points
Drinks with Magdalena at Home. What a surprise, a stunning bottle, lovely and floral on the nose and in the mouth tannins have resovled nicely leaving it nice and silky with dark fruits, but still a nice dry grip at the back of your mouth. Love it. Second bottle just as good, maybe even better as it had spent more time in the decanter. Maybe less opulent than the more illustrious 83, but enjoyed it every bit as much and it got a longer life ahead.
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4/24/2010 - canan wrote: flawed
Terkel BYO: Argh...
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4/17/2010 - Paul D wrote: 89 Points
Medium/deep garnet core, pale garnet rim. Developed, regal nose showing plenty of soil, some tobacco and underlying cedary blackcurrant fruit. Hint of iron but quite fragrant. Medium bodied on the palate, quite austere on the mid-palate with cedary blackcurrant fruit, distinct earthy notes, hints of tobacco and coffee - good complexity - then balanced acidity on the good length finish which shows traces of dusty tannin. A classic, old-fashioned, correct claret, complex and enjoyable if perhaps lacking a little charm and seductiveness.
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1/20/2010 - aDhillon wrote: 94 Points
very nice
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12/26/2009 - mmoritz wrote: 90 Points
Enter Notes
Drank with 82 Margaux and 93 Mondavi Reserve
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11/22/2009 - jamesr wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful
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9/14/2009 - Biggsy wrote: 97 Points
Thick, dark ruby red. Intensely sweet, powerful fruity nose. Forward aromas of plums and blackcurrant with a hint of gravelly earth underneath. Firm, structured tannins and well balanced acidity. Massive concentrated flavours on the opulent palate with ripe powerful black fruits, an intense flavour of cassis, toffee and persistent smoky tobacco notes on the very long finish. Excellent
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9/14/2009 - Paul D wrote:
Battle of the 1980's with Charles Metcalfe and Sebastian Payne (Merchant Taylors' Hall, London EC2): Cedary, blackcurrant, relatively youthful nose. Deep, dark and intense. Meaty hints. Medium/full bodied on the palate, lithe with lovely line, deep, dark, pure fruit - attractive, "old-fashioned" slightly bitter edge, but also plenty of contrasting sweetness. Vibrant (but balanced) acidity, firm but fine tannins, very, very long finish. Another great '86 - in fine form. ****1/2
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8/8/2009 - noppakit s. wrote: 91 Points
From my last tasting a month ago, it was so young and high in acidity.
This bottle, we let it breath almost 3 hours. The typical Palmer's cassis shows up very seductive. Ahhh...I just think about my mistake, I never fall in love with Palmer until I taste many old vintages. Palmer should be drunk when it's about 20-25 years old for normal vintage. For the best one, should keep 30 years up.
1986 today is more ready than the last bottle, nice fruit, well-balance, good complex, 1 year too young. It's not great but truly classic and good feeling drinkin' at the moment. It effects to my soul, I have to taste my 1967 again soon.
...................good old days......................
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5/26/2009 - keelegl wrote: 93 Points
Not giving much on the nose, but there is lovely sweet fruit on the initial attack that pulls you in. Really tasty on the palate with dark cherries and blueberries. Still with a big structure, but the tannins are sweet and easy on the long finish. One of the bigger surprises of the night.
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5/26/2009 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
1986 Bordeaux Night @ The Hawksmoor: slight lightening around edges but still young looking in the glass. on the nose it gave off some reddish fruits and plumswith a touch of cedar wood, in the mouth this was just sublime, silky and very long. the tannins were soft and well integrated the minerally fruit was bright and vibrant. i had this 2 or 3 years ago and thought it was nice then but now it is really really hitting its stride. i would have loved a big glass of this wine, tied for WOTN for me
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5/9/2009 - noppakit s. wrote: 91 Points
Nice fruit and cassis, very high acidity, medium-bodied, getting better after 3 hours, easy fallin' in love with this wine.
IMO, should wait another 10 years to let the acid more settle then it must be my favorite type.
Drink 2019 - 2027.............90-91/100..............
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2/27/2009 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
LdC Palmer vs. Margaux Dinner (Primehouse): Full red color. Full bright spicy red fruit with a hint of oak. Nice tight rich red fruit with some sweetness left. Nice, WOTF.
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10/9/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Gourmet Dinner with Derek Smedley MW (Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall, London): Paired with the 1989. Double decanted. Fabulous bouquet of mulberries, classic style and composition, long and elegant, excellent backbone and freshness, energy and persistence. An outstanding 1986.
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6/18/2008 - wineaustria wrote: 93 Points
Very good. Earthy with a bit of fruit. Very smooth. Ready to drink. Autonomous wine.
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2/27/2008 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Margaux vs. Palmer Dinner, served in single blind flights (Primehouse - Chicago IL): Single blind 86 Margaux and Palmer flight. Big fruit on both nose and palate, but very silky and nicely textured. Great floral aspect as well. Solid tannic structure in middle, transitioning into a more lacy, spicy wine on finish. This wine probably exceeded expectations more than any other tonight.
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8/21/2007 - Rugan wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. Lovely nose when just opened, very fruity and well structured. Decanted amd served at 18* after having been resting for an hour. Faboulus, lots of structure but a little closed on the fruit side. Should probably have left it open for 3 hours or so before drining it. Velvety tannins.
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3/20/2006 - MRichman wrote:
1986 Bordeaux Horizontal (The Orchard, NYC): Sweet, dense, smooth. Dark core with some herbs. Very nice.
A-
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9/20/2005 - trankin wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine, but didn't blow me away. Some of the AZ crew thought there was a touch of TCA taint to this, which would explain the relative dullness, although I didn't get the TCA. Earthy with a little, not a lot, of fruit on the front. On the younger side, but ready to drink. Went beautifully with the lamb, and was clearly an excellent bottle, but I wonder if it might have been better. Decanted for 3 hours.
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5/22/2004 - Will wrote:
Verticale of Chateau Palmer (Toulouse, France): Weak nose, silky palate with well-rounded tannins, earthy finsh but globally a rather basic wine. I thought it could be the ringer, and it was a huge surprise to learn it was the '86. A couple of hours afterwards I tasted it blind again and noticed some hints of TCA - when it was revealed it was '86, I thought maybe that was a possible explanation. An off-bottle for sure.
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9/29/2002 - Henman wrote:
N: light,cassis, potatocellar.
P: light bodied,balanced,some cedar and cassis.
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9/26/1999 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 Points
Pre Auction Wine Tasting w/ Angelus/Palmer/La Mission Haut Brion (NYC): A bit hard and tannic. A bit alcohol as well. A bit too harsh. Not a bad wine, just rustic.
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