Tasting notes
Antonio Galloni · Vinous · 95
The 2023 Alter Ego is soft, open-knit and floral, with exceptional balance and tons of class. Crushed flowers, bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, chalk and white pepper are all beautifully lifted in the glass. This mid-weight, gracious Alter Ego is exceptionally vivid. All the elements are so well balanced. It's a totally sensual Alter Ego that delivers on all levels. Silky, polished contours wrap around the finish.
James Suckling · James Suckling · 95-96
This is dense and velvety with a creamy texture. Blackberry, blueberry and stone aromas and flavors. Layered. Very primary and focused. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot.
Jeb Dunnuck · Jeb Dunnuck · 95
The second wine of Château Palmer, the 2023 Alter Ego De Palmer is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot that was aged 12 months in 30% new French oak barrels followed by 12 months in foudre. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts gorgeous aromatics of black cherry and blueberry fruit intermixed with graphite, crushed stone, and licorice. It's rich, full-bodied, and powerful, yet has great acidity, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It's too good for a second wine and will cruise over the coming three decades. There are roughly 5,300 cases produced. Drink 2026-2056.
William Kelley · Wine Advocate · 94
Bursting with aromas of sweet cherries, berries and violets, the 2023 Alter Ego de Palmer is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and supple, with a rich core of sweet, plummy fruit framed by ripe tannins and succulent acids. Ample and penetrating, it's an immensely charming blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
Jane Anson · Decanter · 93
Vivid ruby plum colour, great depth of flavour, balancing spiced plum, fennel, rosemary and anis with juicy blackberry and damson fruit, all delivered with a caress of floral aromatics and well-paced momentum. The August and early September heat waves meant lost yield but higher concentration, and this is a structured Alter Ego that stretches out through the palate, with a kick on the finish. September 11 harvest through to October 5, 25% new oak for ageing.
Georgie Hindle · Decanter · 93
Gorgeous nose, so full, voluptuous, intensely aromatic, violets, blackcurrants, damsons, cherries, plums, tobacco and liquorice and cedar spice. Deep pink purple rim too. Nice weight straight away but with tension - you get clearly ripe fruit with such high acidity. Balanced, relatively lean but still juicy, certainly full and intense but streamlined ending on a real graphite and wet stone note. Slightly more lean and austere than some but not harsh, just not as fleshy as normal. It’s got body and style, nice movement and energy, a hint of fleshiness and subtle chew to the tannins. I like this, feels a real mix of ripe and cool with freshness on the finish. 3.75pH. 14% press.
Drink 2027 - 2039
Neal Martin · Vinous · 92
The 2023 Alter Ego, bottled late July, takes a few swirls of the glass to cohere, but offers quite enticing scents of blueberry, violet, blood orange and vanilla. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet black cherries and blackcurrant laced with black pepper. Gentle grip with just a touch of bitterness that lends tension. This sample was decanted, which I feel benefited its showing.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW · Wine Advocate · 90-92
Opaque purple-black in color, the 2023 Alter Ego strides confidently out of the glass with bold notions of crunchy black plums and redcurrant jelly plus suggestions of bay leaves, graphite, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is bright and shiny, with vibrant black and red berry flavors and a racy backbone textured by grainy tannins, finishing with a cheeky herbal lift. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot.
