2022 Chateau Palmer - 3eme Cru Classe Margaux

Decanter.com – 97 pts – GH: *Sharp, energetic, racy and electric. The power and concentration is evident in the dark, rich, concentrated fruit with tannins that grip and take hold with a crushed stone texture, liquorice, graphite, tobacco and cool mint spice. The expression is exceptionally delineated with focus and push from start to finish. Quite bold and charged, but I love the succulence, the perfumed fruit, chalky sensation and overall sense of confidence. In high definition in terms of sharpness and tang to the fruit. A big wine but delivered with poise. 3.79pH. 13% press wine. Harvest took one month from 7 September to 5 October. 70% grand vin, 30% Alter Ego.* - 04/2023

Falstaff Magazin – 99 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart nach Edelholz und Nugat, schwarze Waldbeeren, reife Zwetschken, attraktive Frucht, etwas Veilchen, einladendes Bukett. Kraftvoll, reife dunkle Beerenfucht, feine Extraktsüße, präsente, tragende Tannine, gute Frische, zeigt einen kühlen Abgang, extraktsüßer Nachhall, bleibt minutenlang haften, nahe an der Perfektion.* - 01/2023

Vinum Magazin – 19/20 pts: *Zurückhaltend, aber unglaublich komplex, Veilchen, Blüten, Kräuter; erstaunlich schlanker Auftakt, grosse Dichte und Tiefe, verblüffende Mineralität der Tannine, grosse Länge, absolute Präzision- die ganz grosse Klasse.* - 04/2023

WeinWisser – 19,5/20pts – GL, TW: *45 % Merlot, 51 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 % Petit Verdot, 22 hl/ha. Was für ein verführerisches Parfüm: frisch gepflückte Alpenheidelbeere, Lakritze, satter Veilchenstrauß, Herzkirschensaft und edle Cassiswürze. Am sublimen Gaumen mit einer Textur wie Samt und Seide, dazu ein kakaoartiges Tanningerüst, tänzerische Rasse und ein perfekt geformter Körper. Im konzentrierten langanhaltenden Finale blaubeerige Konturen, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und erhabene Adstringenz. Ganz nah an der Perfektion. Ein Mysterium – wie er in einem so außergewöhnlichen und doch herausfordernden Jahr so gut gelungen ist.* – 04/2023

JancisRobinson.com – 18/20pts – JL: * 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 22 hl/ha. Cask sample. Crimson hue. Genuine expression of fruit. Touch of spicy complexity. Dense but lots of vitality and energy. Beautiful texture with tannins that drive the wine. Great definition. Long on the finish.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (96-98) pts – AG: *The 2022 Palmer is a wine of sublime beauty and refinement. Silky, caressing and super-expressive, the 2022 is also one of the most surprising wines of the year in that it does not show the drought or heat of the growing season at all either in its flavor profile or feel. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs lend notable complexity throughout. The 2022 starts off rather slow, and then really explodes on the back end. It is a magnificent wine in every way.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (90-92) pts – NM: *The 2022 Palmer was cropped at just 22hL/ha due to the berries being 25-30% smaller than usual. It bursts forth on the nose with precocious black cherries, blueberry, violet and touches of marmalade and tobacco in the background. Complex and expressive. The palate is structured, with the tannic backbone, that winemaker Thomas Duroux talked about, lending this Palmer a sense of verticality. Hints of black pepper emerge with time, multi-layered, a powerful Margaux and yet the IPT is actually lower than elsewhere (76). Quite linear on the tobacco-infused finish, which is just quintessential Palmer. Do reserve a bin in your cellar for this and let it gather dust for at least a decade. 14.4% alcohol.* - 04/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (97-99) pts – JL: *With a dark, radiating purple, black hue, the wine explodes from the glass with its bouquet of lilacs, violets, roses, white flowers, cinnamon, and clove perfume. The wine is pure silk in texture, blending its salty, minerality with sweetness in the black and red fruits. But here, it its the texture, length, and purity in the fruits that stand out. The elegant, sensuous finish moves from red to black to red, with a refreshing mint note that holds your focus for over 50 seconds. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.4% ABV, 3.79 Ph. The harvest took place September 7 - October 5, making this one of the longer harvests at Palmer. Yields are a scant 22 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2065.* - 05/2023