Farr Vintners Logo

Palmer 2010

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Palmer

Label

Tasting Notes

The 2010 Palmer is one of the superstars of the vintage, a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, which is just slightly different than what I indicated two years ago. The alcohol level hit 14.5%, and the wine comes across like a more stacked-and-packed version of their 2000. It is tannic and backward, but has a sensational black/purple color and a gorgeous nose of camphor, barbecue smoke, blackberry and cassis. Full-bodied, with oodles of glycerin but a relatively healthy pH, this wine has a precision and freshness that belie its lofty alcohol and extravagant concentration. This is a sensationally rich, full-throttle Palmer that could well end up being one of the all-time great wines made at this estate. It needs a good 7-10 years of cellaring and should keep for 50 or more years.

There's no question that Thomas Duroux and the staff at Palmer are producing wines of first-growth quality, and have been for nearly a decade.

98+
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013

The 2010 Palmer has an outgoing, intense and multifaceted bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry, crushed violets and hints of cassis - your quintessential Margaux turned up to eleven. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Headier than its Margaux peers, it builds in the mouth with a complex, marine-tinged finish with cracked black pepper lingering on the aftertaste. This is an outstanding Palmer but it needs more time in bottle. Drink:2026-2070

96
Neal Martin, vinous.com, April 2020

A purity of fruit here with plum and dark chocolate undertones. Spices and treacle tart as well. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. Very fine indeed. Fit, fruity and reserved. Superb. Try in 2020.

98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2013

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Palmer rolls out of the glass with warm cassis, baked plums and boysenberries scents plus hints of candied violets, star anise and dried bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is generously fruited, with a firm backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long. 2022-2055

96+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. Very dark purple. Amazingly sweet and luscious on the nose. Incredibly sweet and distinctive - pure pleasure at first. Very round and luscious and has massive polish. Incredibly open at this stage - will it close up, I wonder? But underneath, a great stew of tannins lurk..! Great freshness but no leafiness. This is already carrying the Palmer hallmark in spades and its only on the finish that one sees the strong vintage character. Nothing excessive. pH 3.65. 14.5%

18
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2011

Traditionally the finest wine of the Médoc after the 1st growths, Palmer slipped a bit in the 1980's but has returned to top form recently, rejoining the super-second mini-league alongside Lascases, Cos d'Estournel, Ducru, Pichon Lalande, etc. Severe selection here means that only 50% of the production has been used for the grand vin - 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. This has a deep colour for Palmer but the nose is typically perfumed, creamy and voluptuous with floral notes. On the palate it is gorgeously plush and polished with great sweetness, and a smooth texture. Thomas Duroux says that it is the most concentrated Palmer ever produced but it remains light on its feet with freshness and lift. There is great length and a real wow factor. This is a wine of First Growth quality.

97+
Farr Vintners, April 2011

There is great depth of concentrated fruit on the nose with lots of ripe blackcurrant and black cherry on the palate. Dark chocolate and liquorice enrich the mid palate and although the tannins are there giving structure they feel ripe.

93/98
Derek Smedley MW, April 2011
97
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2011

Superb richness and already showing a velvety texture, wonderful freshness and flavours that keep on growing, a magnificent Palmer. Drink 2020-50.

19.5
Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com, April 2011
Read more tasting notes...

The 2010 Palmer, which is 50% Merlot and the rest mostly Cabernet Sauvignon except for 6% Petit Verdot, is a huge, inky/purple-colored wine with notes of camphor, incense, blackberry, espresso roast, and subtle barbecue smoke. Extremely full-bodied and unbelievably powerful (14.5% natural alcohol, but with a rather standard pH of 3.75), this wine is going to be one of the great classics ever to emerge from this iconic chateau. It is extremely tannic, but the tannins are eclipsed by the extravagant concentration of fruit, unctuosity, and density of this wine. This will be a Chateau Palmer to put away for 10 years and drink over the following 40

95/97
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the estate team regard the 2010 Château Palmer as their best since the 1983. This showing did nothing to suggest otherwise. It offers stunning precision on the nose: incredibly fresh and vibrant with the same spine-tingling level of mineralité as the 2005. What they both share is a Pauillac-like graphite seam that runs from start to finish. Like the 2005, there is a beguiling symmetry here, more focused and linear than the sumptuous 2009, yet with sensational length that makes you wonder what on Earth it will taste like in another 10-15 years. I would keep this in your cellar for another decade at least and it may well merit a higher score down the line. Tasted May 2015.

96+
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, May 2016

Tasted at the château. The Palmer 2010 is much stricter and more linear than the Alter Ego - indeed this year, I think there is quite a difference between the two. Even though the Cabernet is in the minority, it still exerts great influence over the aromatics with blackcurrant, briary and a touch of graphite (rendering it again, quite Pauillac-like in style.) The palate is medium-bodied with a rich, generous opening: black cherries, dates, liquorice and a touch of aniseed. The tannins and slightly chewy at the moment and will need taming with bottle age, whilst the finish is sweet, long and melodramatic. This is a relatively flamboyant 2010 that should age with style. Tasted November 2012.

95
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2013

The 2010 Palmer is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, delivering 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.65. This has a very pure bouquet where the Cabernet Sauvignon is again, dominating the aromatics: blackberry, boysenberry and a touch of graphite. The palate is full-bodied with mineral-rich black fruits, very linear and focused, but there is just a touch of alcohol blurring the finish and taken the edge off it its precision. Tasted March 2011.

92/94
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2011

This nose is crazy with treacle tart, dark fruits, spices and milk chocolate. I was in a state of amazement tasting this. Full bodied and very powerful with wonderful ripe tannins and intense nuts and dark chocolate on the palate. This is more powerful than 2009. I am blown away

97/98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2011
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.