Ch. Palmer is one of the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Margaux Third Growth is known for its significant plantings of old-vine Merlot, typically representing a large portion of the blend and responsible for the generous and supple style Ch. Palmer is known for.
The property has a history stretching back to the 17th century. Originally part of Ch. d’Issan, the vineyards were separated and what is now Ch. Palmer became Ch. de Gascq. Owner Madame de Gascq, who apparently boasted that her wines were as good as Lafite’s, sold the property to Charles Palmer, a British field officer in the Duke of Wellington’s army, in 1814.
Pulling on his charm and connections to the Prince Regent, he managed to increase the size and standing of the estate considerably. When he died Ch. Palmer passed to the Pereire family, banker brothers and rivals of the Rothschilds, who built the famous conical-roofed château and vastly elevated the status of the estate, unfortunately not quite in time for the 1855 Classification. The Pereire brothers were forced to sell under the combined weight of the Great Depression, phylloxera and war. The site was rescued by four négociant families in 1938, two of which still form the majority shareholders today: Mähler-Besse and Sichel.
Thomas Duroux took over as director of the estate in 2004 (having just returned from a stint at Ornellaia in Tuscany) and has been responsible for a golden era at Ch. Palmer. He saw significant renovations in the winery and the eventual conversion of the estate to biodynamics, with the 2014 vintage the first certified biodynamic.
Today the estate consists of 52 hectares of vineyards, planted to 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. The vines are 40 years old in average, with some of the Merlot over 70.
Alter Ego de Palmer is often mistakenly considered a second wine, but actually comes from separate, dedicated vineyards. It was introduced in 1998. The estate previously made a second wine called La Réserve du Général.
In 2004, the property introduced the Historical XIX Century Wine – a wine that pays tribute to the cross-regional blending that was traditionally used in the 19th century, with wines from the Rhône often used to bulk up those from Bordeaux. The wine is a blend of 85% Bordeaux from Palmer’s vineyards and 15% Syrah from the Rhône, and only made in certain vintages. It was originally bottled as Vin de Table, although from 2010 it has been labelled Vin de France; it carries a lot number on the label that corresponds to the vintage (eg L 20.04 for the original 2004 release). The property also produces tiny volumes of a white Bordeaux that is not sold commercially.
Each plot is fermented separately in stainless steel. Biodynamic farming has allowed the team to reduce their use of sulphur. The Grand Vin is aged for 20-22 months in 50% new oak, with less new wood and a shorter period for Alter Ego.
Production is around 10,000 cases per year for the Grand Vin and 8,000 cases for Alter Ego.