100 Vinous
The 2018 Palmer is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel, and that is saying something. Rich, exotic and beautifully layered, Palmer is a real head-turner in 2018. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, espresso and sweet floral notes build over time, but it is the wine's stunning depth and textural voluptuousness that elevate it into the realm of the truly sublime. As I wrote in my initial review, the 2018 Palmer is a freak of nature from yields of just 11 hectoliters per hectare harvested over an entire month. Mildew was especially punishing. There is no Alter Ego, just the Grand Vin. Kudos to CEO Thomas Duroux and his team for what I can only describe as a truly magical wine.
100 Falstaff
Deep dark ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim. Intense notes of black forest berries, a hint of liquorice and cassis, candied violets followed by berry jam, some nougat and tangerine zest, immensely seductive bouquet, a hint of cedar underlay. Juicy, black cherries, blackberry confit, ripe tannins with great structure and length, pronounced fruit and a touch of chocolate on the finish, lingers for minutes, great the wine of this vintage, has what it takes to become a classic. (2025-2070)
100 Jeff Leve
Inky dark in color, the wine is fully opaque. On the palate you find an incredibly concentrated, fresh, vibrant, lively, opulent and refined, wine, which is a rare combination. Texturally, this is all silk and velvet hitting every nook and cranny of your taste receptors. The violet infused, earthy, deep perfume along with the layers of decadently ripe, sweet, lush fruits is impossible to resist. There is a gorgeous sense of purity that shines though on the finish making this even better. The finish with all its plum, dark cherry, cocoa and boysenberry exceeds the 60 second mark. This is a legendary vintage for Palmer. But give it time. It is easy to enjoy this in its youth, but its best days are in the future , so give it 12-15 years of age and enjoy it for at least 2 decades or more after that. Blended from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon , 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot , 14.3% ABV, .the yields were shockingly low at only 11 hectoliters per hectare -- conceding only one cluster per vine --the exact same yield Palmer experienced in 1961!
100 Jane Anson
100 Chris Kissack
99 Wine Enthusiast
This dense wine is almost black in color. Offering rich tannins and luscious black fruits, it is ripe with both structure and depth. The concentration and thought-provoking intensity are impressive. Drink this wine from 2028.
99 Alexandra Maa
98 Robert Parker
The 2018 Palmer is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The wine has a 3.83 pH and 14.3% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it explodes from the glass with atomic scents of blackberry preserves, crème de cassis and blueberry pie, plus suggestions of red roses, clove oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest with hints of Chinese five spice and menthol. The full-bodied palate is decadently styled, offering layer upon layer of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, framed by exquisitely plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing wonderfully fragrant and with epic length. It's an amazingly beautiful beast of a wine—one for the hedonists!
98 James Suckling
Complex nose of black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate and floral undertones with perfume-like character. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Elegant on the palate with structure. Savory and balanced, complex and layered. Long finish. Really lingers. This has really evolved into a beautiful white swan after a difficult debut from barrel! Tiny production. only 11 hectoliters per hectare. Try after 2024.
98 Adrian van Velsen
aufgrund des hohen Pilzdrucks und der biodynamischen Bewirtschaftung wurden nur 11 HL / Hektar produziert. Die gelesenen Trauben aber waren so konzentriert wie noch nie. Die Herausforderung war es, trotz Konzentration die Finesse zu behalten. 14.3% Alkohol, pH 3.8, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot): Dichtes Rubin. Sehr reife Frucht in der Nase, Brombeeren, Heidelbeeren, reife Himbeeren, getrocknete Veilchen, Gewürze, Kardamom, Zimt, super komplex. Im Auftakt vollmundig, weich, opulent, da ist viel Fleisch am Knochen, die Frucht wird getragen von einer sehr soliden Struktur, die Säure wirkt top eingebunden, das hat Power, Kraft, zeigt gleichzeitig viel Eleganz, die Tannine sind feinmaschig, von höchster Güte, umhüllen die Zunge wie ein Seidentuch, das sind Katzenpfötchen… Im Abgang sehr, sehr lang. Ein tanzender Bodybuilder, ein Palmer, der aus der Reihe tanzt. 2025-2045+ (Verkostet auf Château Palmer, am 05.04.2019
