Château Palmer

Margaux, Bordeaux

French Wines

Château Palmer
Château Palmer's vineyard was formerly known as Château de Gasq, which was the name of the proprietor who introduced his wines to Cardinal Richelieu, and later to the court of Louis XV. These efforts at promotion did much for the reputation of the Médoc's wines. The history of Château Palmer is bound up with the history of France, beginning with the meeting of Jeanne de Gasq and the English general Charles Palmer in 1814. The Napoleonic period was drawing to a close in 1814 when General Charles Palmer arrived in France with the future Duke of Wellington after the Peninsular War between Napoleon and England. Parliament decided to reward him with a large sum of money in gratitude for his father's military services, and he acquired Château de Gascq, on which he left his mark as well as his name. Palmer fell in love with the vineyard and its wines, whose reputation (and price) was among the highest in London. The general constantly enlarged his property, giving his name to one of the finest estates in Margaux. Another historic meeting occurred several decades later: the Péreire brothers, bankers in the Second Empire, acquired Palmer, Grand Cru Classé in 1855, and had the present château built in 1856.

Château Palmer
Château Palmer's finesse and elegance are legendary, and its aromatic complexity is every bit as remarkable. The subtle balance between powerful, but understated tannins and aromatic richness makes Palmer an incomparably charming wine, even when very young. The combination of grape varieties (equal amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as 6% Petit Verdot) gives Château Palmer an extraordinarily complex bouquet of fruit, flowers, and spice as well as body and structure. Long barrel ageing is essential for Château Palmer to reflect its gravelly terroir's potential, and display volume and richness. This ageing process continues slowly for many years in bottle. A beautiful bouquet develops after the first few years of cellaring, as well as a rich, complex, very elegant, often exotic, and always unforgettable aftertaste. Château Palmer, made from the richest vats, is a wine for long ageing whose reputation is well-established, - Alter Ego de Palmer, a more supple wine which reaches maturity sooner.

Chateau Palmer Management
Thomas Duroux, manager of Château Palmer since July 2004, brings with him nearly a decade of winemaking experience in areas as diverse as Bordeaux, Hungary, South Africa, California and Italy. His exposure to each region's different approach to wine production has helped him build a solid technical foundation. After three years in Tuscany as the winemaker of "Tenuta dell'Ornellaia", the Bordeaux native returns to his roots to take advantage of the unique opportunity offered by Chateau Palmer's owners.

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