1979 Palmer

I have rated this wine higher in the past. While it is still one of the finest wines of the vintage, it has been slow to completely unfold since its showy days in cask. The wine reveals a healthy deep ruby color, and a dusty, earthy component to its otherwise attractive plum, blackcurrant, and licorice-scented nose. Medium-bodied, with excellent concentration and crisp, high acidity, this well-structured, austere style of Palmer appears to be more closed and less flattering than it was several years ago. I thought it would be fully mature, but as this tasting indicates, it should be held for another 1-3 years; drink it through the first decade of the next century. Will it turn out to be as good as I predicted? Last tasted, 5/93. Aug 1993, www.robertparker.com