Château Palmer 2014

The 2014 Palmer builds on the promise it showed in barrel. It is clearly a more understated and nuanced Palmer from winemaker Thomas Duroux this year, but a Margaux with exquisite delineation and precision, with hints of blackberry, boysenberry and a touch of pencil box. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. It feels supple and lithe on the palate. It will not have the depth and power of the subsequent 2015 Palmer, yet the “flow” is very sensual and the Merlot (45% of the blend) lends roundness and a caressing texture. What a beautiful Margaux, and I’d bet it will be deceptively long-lived.

This has a fresh, energetic feel, with lots of bramble-edged grip pushing the core of raspberry, plum and cherry coulis flavors. The finish is very pure, punctuated by lively floral and iron notes. Flaunts minerality in the end. Best from 2020 through 2035.

Quite vivid aromatics on the nose, deep and heady, blue fruit, peppercorns, liquorice and cocoa powder. Fruity and really quite dense in terms of chewiness and flavour. Stands out in the line up for being forward, lifted, intense and powerful, grippy and alive. Excellent presentation and character. Feels youthful and fresh, but it's the texture and sense of weight and the long finish that really makes this wine stand out. A great showing for Palmer with a long life ahead.

This really develops wonderfully in the glass, starting out earthy with mushrooms and spices, then turning to dark fruit such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, very intense and minerally. Firm and silky tannins and a long, long finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink in 2022.

Espresso bean, truffle, floral, plum and earthy scents pop quickly as your nose meets the glass. A polished and elegant debutante wrapped in a gown of velvety tannins, this wine is fresh, clean and pure, leaving you with a sensuous drape of lingering fruits. This wine is the first fully biodynamic vintage for the chateau. Produced from a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, it reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.6. It represents 55% of the harvest, which took place between September 22 and October 14. 94-95 pts

The 2014 Palmer is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and should merit an even higher score in 5–7 years. A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 65% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a rich, opulent bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, chocolate, and tobacco, with hints of graphite and background oak. With more texture and mid-palate depth than most in the vintage, this terrific 2014 is medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, layered and as hedonistic and sexy as it gets in the vintage. Give bottle 4–5 years and it should drink nicely for two decades.

49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Palmer, 5% Petit Verdot. 33 hl/ha. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. A hard-to-approach bouquet showing dried porcini mushrooms, soy sauce, Amarena-like sweetness, and a fine oxidative note. I pointed out this note to Thomas Duroux, and we opened a second sample. But it was exactly the same. On the palate, ample in texture, with many dark malty notes, hints of Corinth raisins, and Darjeeling tea. Never before had a young Palmer reminded me of a southern Rhône wine. Yet that was clearly the case now. In the finish, however, everything falls into place: the wine ends extremely aromatic with plenty of black berries, licorice, and a touch of summer truffle. With my experience of now 73 vintages of Palmer, I nevertheless find no parallels to any earlier vintage. Given its slightly demanding character, it will become a somewhat reserved classic. This Palmer was produced for the very first time entirely in a biodynamic style. Thus a new chapter begins, and a seasoned taster like me will probably still need to go to the organic-tasting school. Potential rating:

49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Palmer, 5% Petit Verdot. 33 hl/ha. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. A hard-to-approach bouquet showing dried porcini, soy sauce, amarena sweetness and a fine airy note. I pointed out this note to Thomas Duroux and we opened a second sample. But it was exactly the same. On the palate, dense, with many dark malty notes, hints of currants and Darjeeling tea. Never had a young Palmer reminded me of a southern Rhône wine. Yet that was clearly the case here. On the finish, however, everything falls into place: the wine ends extremely aromatic with lots of black berries, licorice and a hint of summer truffle. With my experience of now 73 vintages of Palmer, I find no parallels to any earlier vintage. Given its somewhat demanding character, it will become a slightly reserved classic. This Palmer was produced for the very first time entirely in the biodynamic style. Thus a new chapter begins, and even a seasoned taster (Gabriel) will probably still have to go to the organic-tasting school. Potential rating:

(First vintage 100% biodynamic, 45% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 33 hl/ha) Deep, spicy, complex bouquet, black berries, plums, smoke, dried fruit, licorice. Velvety, dense, multi-layered palate with good fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a finely muscular structure, powerful, diverse aromatics, long, compact finish with graphite. Can improve further. 18/20 2022 - 2038

Beautifully poised, with spiced damson and raspberry fruits, higher acidity than you find in 2015 or 2016, juicy and just about opening up to drink. Has the generous floral character of a maturing Palmer, where peony and roses start to take off through the mid palate, hovering above the berry fruits, layering up with complexity, thoroughly enjoyable. A good 10 to 15 years ahead of pleasure. This was the 200th anniversary vintage since General Charles Palmer bought the wine estate from Madame de Gascq. Harvest September 22 to October 14, 60% new oak.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2014 Palmer features evocative scents of stewed plums, blackberry preserves, and garrigue with hints of leather, Indian spices, and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock full of black fruit preserves and exotic spice notes framed by plush tannins, finishing long and opulent. Tasted blind with the Southwold Group in London in February 2024.

Great color, magnificent opulence on the nose and palate, broad and generous, no hint of reduction, sumptuous fruit.

Still tight, but with immense class on the palate and exemplary definition. A wine that combines length and silkiness, depth and brightness.

Pure, deep, and quivering on the nose, with an aromatic core of black lava, black plum, rosemary, and flower petals. On the palate, it is a male dancer—tonic and strong, agile—with notes of blue fruits, intense and concentrated, yet so pure and gentle that it’s hard not to swallow; and when you do, the stony, savory, chocolatey complexity seems to last forever.

Ruby red with garnet highlights. Expressive bouquet revealing notes of candied fruit and spices. Fruity, precise attack. Plenty of freshness and breed with a gourmand touch. The body is rich and silky, with a structure that carries the fruit. The tannins emerge gently and are grainy. They are fairly firm, which bodes well for a structure that brings power. There is an aspect that shows the wine’s evolution and, above all, a lot of purity and freshness. A wine that, on the one hand, is marked by breed and, on the other, seems to have a certain blossoming. In the end, the result is convincing. A wine built to age.

The nose is fruity, gourmand and aromatic, offering beautiful finesse within its richness. It reveals notes of blueberry and blackcurrant, with fine hints of graphite and grey pepper, as well as delicate touches of crushed strawberry. The palate is fruity, mineral, silky, delicate, beautifully defined/melodious, with a lively acidic backbone and lovely crunchy fruit. On the palate, this wine shows notes of crunchy blueberry and subtle notes of blackcurrant, crushed blackberry and crushed wild strawberry, with a discreet hint of raspberry jam, licorice stick, as well as fine notes of toasted oak, a very discreet hint of toasted almond and a very discreet touch of spice. The tannins are fine and slightly firm. Good length and beautiful persistence (gourmand/suave).

Logo on the cork: DF The same qualitative momentum on the palate sets this wine apart from mid-palate to finish. And as this is the first full vintage made from biodynamically farmed vines, it’s easy to see the connection. Very aromatic, complex nose. A radiant, fruit-driven palate with a refined texture, building in lift and length toward the finish. Fine-grained.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This is a beautiful, structured wine, with great fruit. Blackberries and currants lie on a bed of structured tannins and firm wood. It is rich, while still presenting ample freshness and acidity. This will age very well.