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Tasting notes
There's a really delicious green streak to the nose here – perhaps it's a touch of underripeness, perhaps Cabernet Franc, but it works so nicely. Certainly it's preferable to the 2009, to my mind at least. Crunchy black fruit, firm but smooth tannins. Perfectly ripe but with the edge of herby flavour adding complexity. A great example. (RH)
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More reviews and scores
Young and dense in its fruit character, with black cherry and bilberry fruits, baked earth, black truffles and saffron spice. The tannins are velvety and muscular, the finish spicy and long, and this remains a concentrated wine with plenty of life ahead of it. A late ripening year, where Autumn really saved what had been a pretty difficult August and early September. Harvest October 1 to 17, 60% new oak.
A wine that’s just now starting to hit prime time, the 2008 Palmer is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot that was brought up in plenty of new oak. This medium to full-bodied effort offers a youthful, vibrant ruby/purple color as well as a smoky, dark-fruited style as well as notes of chocolate and earthy minerality. With beautiful concentration, still-present ripe tannins, and a great finish, it’s a great drink today, yet I suspect it has another 30 years in it. It’s a beautiful Palmer that shows the classic style of the vintage.
Deep garnet. Fresh, dark-red fruit still showing among the more mature aromas of as well as a touch of sweet vanilla. Tannins still quite thick and a little chewy. Firm and rather closed, but the bottle has only just been opened. Depth rather than openness at the moment. (JH)
About the producer
Ch. Palmer is one of the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Margaux Third Growth is known for its significant plantings of old-vine Merlot, typically representing a large portion of the blend and responsible for the generous and supple style Ch. Palmer is known for.