Chateau Palmer 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 2011

The opaque blue/purple-colored 2011 Palmer reveals a stunning bouquet of licorice, truffles, camphor, spring flowers, black raspberries and black currants. One of the superstars of the vintage, this brilliant 2011 possesses superb concentration and purity, medium to full body, and remarkable length of close to a minute. A tour de force in winemaking, the Palmer team merits accolades for achieving this level of quality in a more challenging vintage than either 2009 or 2010. The wine of the vintage in Margaux, tiny yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare, a final blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a severe selection only 55% of the production made it into Palmer) are the reasons for this success.

A wine with currants and mineral character on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied, with silky, polished tannins and a long finish. Very tight and refined now. Tannic. Palmer only made 20 hectoliters of wine a hectare. Like a tightly wound ball of cashmere thread. Try in 2020.

A vintage that I have tasted a few times this year, and an excellent one to be reminded of at the 10 year window. Layers of blueberry, plum, cassis and rosemary, sculpted and heavy on the rose and violet floral aromatics that speak of its appellation. As it opens, the smoky notes become more evident, and this is sensuous but reflective of a cooler summer than the blockbuster 2009 and 2010 that preceded it. A hail storm at the end of June meant this is a small yield at 21hl/ha - the lowest since 1961 until 2018). Needs another two or three years to really open up, but you might be lucky with a few hours in the glass - the most recent bottle of this wine that I had August 2021) was absolutely singing and ready to go. One of the very few Palmers with no Petit Verdot in the blend, and a rare Merlot dominance, both of which make this an unusual bottle.

Drink 2022 - 2042