Just bought a ton of Palmer 2018, so as I normally do, I opened a bottle I had sitting at home. This is a bit of a freakish wine; thanks to mildew the yields were 11 hl/ha about one third of the average. I opened a bottle yesterday morning with my coffee. Alcohol 14.3%. Absolutely massive, unyielding when I stole a sip just after decanting it, but with the most extraordinary and explosive nose. I can’t recall a wine it’s equal. The fruit is quite dark with shards of bright red, but there is a level of complexity here of licorice, spice, blueberry and lavender. As one would expect everything is primary.
By 6:30, there was still little movement on the palate, but pouring a couple of glasses seemed to help. The wine almost reluctantly began to unfurl. It is big, it is long, and it is precise, helped by great acidity to keep it fresh and interesting. It is certainly in balance, which given its size and weight is remarkable. Reminds me of a defensive tackle running the 40 yard dash in under 4.4 seconds.
Yes as Neal Martin said, this is going to be an utterly unique wine, and I appreciate it for its power, complexity and balance. And yet, I am not entirely sure I loved it, but I think it is a wine that I will get to love starting two decades from now.
Not much left for last night, but it eased a little. Flavors much the same, and the finish was noticeably longer.
I was trying to think why I liked this, and loathed the 2009 Cos d‘Estournel, another wine that was very heavily extracted. Where it differs is that this is fresh, savory, balanced and complex while Cos was sweet, plummy, one note and there was not enough acidity
Great note, but I do have to admit, I’m not sure I would run out and buy this wine on that note. Kind of reminds me of the evening that I enjoyed a 2015 Ausone with a few friends. It had so much going on, it was mind-blowing. It was also massively-scaled, and teetered on the brink of being over the top. Everyone else at the table swooned over this wine, and later I saw the critics scores and the cellartracker scores. It is certainly a highly regarded wine. And perhaps in 20 or 25 or more years it evolves into an amazing thing of beauty, but Marc that is a long time away at our respective ages, lol. While I am not normally in the market to Ausone there was nothing about this wine that compelled me to go chase it down. I had the 2008 Ausone a month or so later, and feel my my palate and age, it is a much better wine.
For the record, I am generally not a fan of the 2018 vintage or the 2015 vintage.
Sure, can’t win them all. Gotta trust your own palate. I will say, some of the notes that I have read on that 1947 Cheval didn’t suggest to me that it would be my “swoon” wine. Mark, didn’t you have this wine a couple of times? I seem to recall someone like you in this forum that was not necessarily impressed. I definitely would love to try it though! I doubt that will happen.
Those of us who don’t really like young wines or at least young Bordeaux (and are old enough that the AARP is licking its chops), we really need to stick to our guns and stop buying these new vintages no matter how highly regarded. If we need stuff to tide us over in our 60s and 70s, let’s keep stocking up on vintages from 1995-2005!
I’ve had it; only a very small pour on a night where a lot of other profound wines were poured including 29 Yquem and 61 latour and RC, but what stuck with me was how it felt lively and elegant while having immense concentration and not being at all ponderous. I can’t imagine anyone who likes bdx not liking it.
2018 Palmer is not a wine for you. All you had to do was read my notes. I think I was the only taster who gave it 98-100 Pts from barrel. It took one sniff and sip and I was sold! I think it is a future legend of Bordeaux. But you will never like the wine is my guess.
This had all the hallmarks of a wine that I would not enjoy. Elevated alcohol, extracted etc. And of course I should have read Jeff’s note.
The saving grace was the acidity and freshness of the wine that gave it a knife edge balance. It is not something I would want to drink every week, but it is a glorious wine with great great potential.
I forgot to mention, the night I had that Ausone, we had a few other wines including that 1996 Leoville Barton that we both love. I added more when you flipped me that link for them well-priced. That was my WOTN.
I forgot to mention, the night I had that Ausone, we had a few other wines including that 1996 Leoville Barton that we both love. I added more when you flipped me that link for them well-priced. That was my WOTN.
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