Château Palmer 2018

Punteggi della critica

• Robert Parker / Wine Advocate 98

  The 2018 Palmer is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The wine has a 3.83 pH and 14.3% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it explodes from the glass with atomic scents of blackberry preserves, crème de cassis and blueberry pie, plus suggestions of red roses, clove oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest with hints of Chinese five spice and menthol. The full-bodied palate is decadently styled, offering layer upon layer of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, framed by exquisitely plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing wonderfully fragrant and with epic length. It's an amazingly beautiful beast of a wine—one for the hedonists!

• Wine Spectator 97-100

  The level of glycerine sets this apart, giving the cascade of plum, currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit extra oomph, while seeming to heighten the purity at the same time. Beautiful violet, incense and juniper notes flash in the background. This is packed with iron-laced grip, but remains seamless and extremely long. I suspect this will be one of the most talked-about wines of the vintage.—J.M.

• James Suckling 98

  Complex nose of black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate and floral undertones with perfume-like character. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Elegant on the palate with structure. Savory and balanced, complex and layered. Long finish. Really lingers. This has really evolved into a beautiful white swan after a difficult debut from barrel! Tiny production. only 11 hectoliters per hectare. Try after 2024.

• Falstaff 100

  Deep dark ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim. Intense notes of black forest berries, a hint of liquorice and cassis, candied violets followed by berry jam, some nougat and tangerine zest, immensely seductive bouquet, a hint of cedar underlay. Juicy, black cherries, blackberry confit, ripe tannins with great structure and length, pronounced fruit and a touch of chocolate on the finish, lingers for minutes, great the wine of this vintage, has what it takes to become a classic. (2025-2070)

• Vinous 100

  The 2018 Palmer is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel, and that is saying something. Rich, exotic and beautifully layered, Palmer is a real head-turner in 2018. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, espresso and sweet floral notes build over time, but it is the wine's stunning depth and textural voluptuousness that elevate it into the realm of the truly sublime. As I wrote in my initial review, the 2018 Palmer is a freak of nature from yields of just 11 hectoliters per hectare harvested over an entire month. Mildew was especially punishing. There is no Alter Ego, just the Grand Vin. Kudos to CEO Thomas Duroux and his team for what I can only describe as a truly magical wine.

• Jeff Leve / Wine Cellar Insider 100

  Inky dark in color, the wine is fully opaque. On the palate you find an incredibly concentrated, fresh, vibrant, lively, opulent and refined, wine, which is a rare combination. Texturally, this is all silk and velvet hitting every nook and cranny of your taste receptors. The violet infused, earthy, deep perfume along with the layers of decadently ripe, sweet, lush fruits is impossible to resist. There is a gorgeous sense of purity that shines though on the finish making this even better. The finish with all its plum, dark cherry, cocoa and boysenberry exceeds the 60 second mark. This is a legendary vintage for Palmer. But give it time. It is easy to enjoy this in its youth, but its best days are in the future , so give it 12-15 years of age and enjoy it for at least 2 decades or more after that. Blended from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon , 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot , 14.3% ABV, .the yields were shockingly low at only 11 hectoliters per hectare -- conceding only one cluster per vine --the exact same yield Palmer experienced in 1961!

• Wine Enthusiast 99

  This dense wine is almost black in color. Offering rich tannins and luscious black fruits, it is ripe with both structure and depth. The concentration and thought-provoking intensity are impressive. Drink this wine from 2028.

• Adrian van Velsen 98

  Apr 2019 (due to high fungal pressure and biodynamic farming, only 11 HL / hectare were produced. However, the harvested grapes were more concentrated than ever. The challenge was to maintain finesse despite the concentration. 14.3% alcohol, pH 3.8, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot): Dense ruby color. Very ripe fruit on the nose, blackberries, blueberries, ripe raspberries, dried violets, spices, cardamom, cinnamon, super complex. Full-bodied on the palate, soft, opulent, with a lot of flesh on the bones, the fruit is supported by a very solid structure, the acidity is perfectly integrated, it has power, strength, and at the same time shows a lot of elegance, the tannins are fine-meshed, of the highest quality, enveloping the tongue like a silk cloth, like cat paws... Very, very long finish. A dancing bodybuilder, a Palmer that stands out. 2025-2045+ (Tasted at Château Palmer, on 05.04.2019)

• Jane Anson 100
• Alexandra Maa 99
• Chris Kissack / Wine Doctor 100