Alex Lallos, JJ Buckley, April 2012

55% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon. Vines are planted on 55 hectares of stony gravel soils at a density of 10,000 per hectare, and are on average 35 years old. All are harvested by hand. Yields were an incredibly low 20 hl/ha. Deep garnet core with a medium bright garnet rim. An exceptional and complex nose of ripe red cherry, warm mocha, and freshly picked savory herbs. The style is warm with silky tannins that continue to build throughout the palate. Red currant and tobacco flavors are followed by subtle oak nuances and a touch of cedar. The finish is long and tight, with a backbone of acidity and fine grained tannins which are all in balance. One of the top wines of the Left Bank. Enjoy 2018-2030.

95 -96 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Palmer only made 20 hectoliters of wine a hectare. That must be the record for the smallest production in the vintage. Extraordinary concentration for the vintage with full body and rich velvety tannins yet it's fresh and intense. Really impressive and powerful. Wow. One of the wines of the vintage.

Jancis Robinson, April 2012

55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% press wine. This year it was more a case of 'infusion' than extraction - to get the colour, fruit and structure without too much tannin. The free-run juice was very pure, the press wine creamy. Deep dark cherry colour. Again aromatic, less floral than the Alter Ego (which has all the Petit Verdot), graphite and dark, elegant fruit, not in the least leafy. Really mineral. Tannins are so polished and so fine though they coat the mouth with a very fine layer and add to the freshness. Cool and utterly long and clear. Tannins are very hard to describe because there is a dry finesse but also a creamy roundness that comes later in the mouth. No spicy exoticism in this vintage, plenty of classicism. (JH) 18.5/20

91 -93 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, April 2012

The 2011 Palmer has a ripe sweet bouquet of black cherries, blueberry, a touch of iodine and crushed violets, flamboyant as usual. There is a hint of cough candy that develops with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm grip. There is a carapace of toasty tannins underneath which lies a core of dense black fruit, although it does not have the same degree of finesse on the finish as say, Rauzan Segla. This is quite a serious Margaux, one that probably deserves longer ageing than others to allow those brusque, rigid tannins to soften.

92 -94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

Chateau Palmer's 2011 yields of a minuscule 20 hectoliters per hectare were caused by the overall drought conditions, the extreme heat at the end of June, and some problems during flowering. Only 55% of the crop made it into Palmer, and given the lowest yields since 1961, the final blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon possesses huge tannins, but they are remarkably velvety and sweet. This opaque purple-colored, dense, concentrated, full-bodied wine will need time to totally form its personality. The harvest, which occurred between September 10-24, produced a big, boisterous, concentrated wine that should age for 25-30 or more years. 92-94+

95 -97 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2012

A wine that has density, structure and firm tannins, with touches of wood. At this stage, it is solid and impressive; and the tannins draw the great fresh fruit into the heart of the wine. - R.V.

92 -95 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

Shows an ample core of kirsch and bright cherry fruit that's very expressive, with flecks of white pepper, violet and tobacco. The racy acidity is well-embedded, and this has solid length, with a velvety edge in reserve that lets extra cassis and violet notes emerge. Should stretch out nicely during the rest of its élevage. Tasted non-blind.-J.M.

About Winery

Château Palmer is named after a British officer, Major General Palmer, who settled in Bordeaux in 1814. It is the top estate of the Margaux appellation after Château Margaux. It is located in the centre of the Margaux appellation, and its vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 5%) lie on a sparse gravel plateau. Palmer is classified as a 3ème Cru Classé and was established as a Super Second long before Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Pichon-Lalande, and in some years (1961, 1966, and 1983) it is as good as any wine in Bordeaux. Palmer's relatively high Merlot content makes Palmer the closest in style of any leading Médoc properties to the great wines of Pomerol and St-Emilion.

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