2006 SAS Palmer 33460 XIXth Century Historical Wine
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The 2006 Historical 19th Century Wine was not the first release. That was the 2004, though Thomas Duroux considers the 2006 to be the first proper release, blended with 10% Syrah. Now at 15 years old, I was intrigued to see how it is aging. Clear and youthful in color, it has an intense bouquet with ample red berry fruit, incense, pressed violet and a touch of camphor. The palate is medium-bodied with good grip, burly and powerful. The spicy black fruit is laced with cedar and tobacco. Maybe on the finish, it misses a bit of precision, yet it feels very long and appears to have plenty of years ahead. I would keep any bottles in the cellar. Tasted at the Palmer vertical at the château.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the 2006 Palmer "19th Century Blend" was served blind (readers should note that because of the addition of Hermitage in the blend, there is no specification of vintage on the label). It has an intense fruit-driven nose with surfeit blueberry and mulberry fruit. The Syrah just imparts a sense of warmth that would not have been perceptible in the regular cuvée. The palate is full-bodied and dense in the mouth, slightly viscous with a pleasant saline note on the finish. I just feel that the Syrah takes away more than it gives, just blunting the finish a little, erasing a bit of detail. Nevertheless, it remains an intriguing hybrid and it will be fascinating to see how it ages. Tasted May 2015.
2006 Palmer Historic XIX Century Blend - This does not have the punch, volume or complexity of the 04. But with its unique addition of Syrah, the pepper and jammy fruit aromatics, along with the fat texture makes this a fun wine to taste. Only 100 cases were produced. The percentage of Syrah in 2006 is down to 10% from 15% in 2004.
Tasted at the Chateau Palmer vertical in London, the 2006 Palmer "19th Century Blend" was served blind (readers should note that because of the addition of Hermitage in the blend, there is no specification of vintage on the label). It has an intense fruit-driven nose with surfeit blueberry and mulberry fruit. The Syrah just imparts a sense of warmth that would not have been perceptible in the regular cuvee. The palate is full-bodied and dense in the mouth, slightly viscous with a pleasant saline note on the finish. I just feel that the Syrah takes away more than it gives, just blunting the finish a little, erasing a bit of detail. Nevertheless, it remains an intriguing hybrid and it will be fascinating to see how it ages. Tasted May 2015. May 2016, www.robertparker.com