Château Palmer

Château Palmer – The poetry of the Margaux terroir

Château Palmer, located in the Margaux appellation, is one of the most famous and elegant wines of Bordeaux. Its origins date back to the early 18th century, when the estate was still known as the Domaine de Gascq . The foundations for its present-day fame were laid by the British General Charles Palmer, who acquired the estate in 1814 and gave it his name . Palmer, an adventurer and politician, consolidated scattered plots into a large vineyard. Since 1938, the estate has been managed by the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families , who preserve its tradition with foresight and continuity.

In the famous 1855 classification, Château Palmer was rankedas a Troisième Grand Cru Classé. Nevertheless, it now enjoys the reputation of a ‘Super Second’ and is often placed on a par with the most famous wines of the Médoc. The estate’s unique terroir spans some 66 hectares of vineyards. The vineyards are situated on deep gravel mounds deposited by the Garonne and Dordogne, and provide excellent drainage as well as heat retention . These soils, situated in the immediate vicinity of the Gironde estuary, lend the wines their unmistakable finesse and complexity.

What sets Château Palmer apart is its unusual blend of grape varieties. Unlike many other top Left Bank estates , Palmer relies on a high proportion of Merlot (around 47 per cent), which, together with Cabernet Sauvignon (also 47 per cent) and Petit Verdot (6 per cent), forms the basis for the wines’ elegant, silky style .

Since 2009, Château Palmer has been one of the pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in Bordeaux and converted its entire vineyard to this sustainable method by 2014 . In the cellar, the grapes are vinified with the utmost precision, and the wine is aged for over 20 months in French oak barrels. The result is red wines of breathtaking elegance, which delight with aromas of black fruits, fine tannins and enormous ageing potential. In addition to the Grand Vin, the estate has been producing its own second wine, Alter Ego, since 1998 . Château Palmer is and remains a shining star in the Bordeaux sky – synonymous with timeless elegance and the very highest quality.