2007 Ch. Palmer, Margaux

This is the smallest production of Ch. Palmer since 1991, with the vineyards requiring 300 more man hours work per hectare than in 2006. Thankfully, such sacrifice has produced a refined, silky-textured Palmer with all the early-drinking charm of the vintage but atypical intensity, luscious fruit and high Merlot content (49%). A wonderful nose of cool black fruit, minerals and toffee is followed by a mouthfilling palate with fine, ripe tannins, attractive cedar notes and a lingering, pure cassis and plum finish. Not far off the quality of Ch. Margaux itself this year.

"Very deep crimson. Rather more drama and concentration on the nose than Alter Ego has. Reasonably sumptuous. Very sweet, really very obviously low acidity. Not desperately appetising. Pretty round and soft. Very polished. 12.5%. Very unusual mixture of old-fashioned structure (low alcohol) with modern texture and much less acidity than in the old days. Quite distinctive! At Palmer the second wine seemed particularly successful - having the freshness that was not so evident on the grand vin. Compare with the Pavillon Rouge" (www.jancisrobinson.com)
Jancis Robinson

Black-red, very rich on the glass and lovely concentration of velvety, spicy fruit with great depth but not over-extraction, impressive persistence of flavour with good density of tannins to back it up.
Steven Spurrier