The dense ruby/purple-hued 2006 Palmer reveals sweet aromas of melted licorice, underbrush, toast, plums, and black cherries. Outstanding density, a medium to full-bodied style, and a personality that recalls 1996, this blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot possesses moderately high tannins as well as plenty of aging potential. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.
The 2006 Château Palmer was wonderful out of barrel ten years ago and now in bottle, it fulfills its promise with a stunning, precise bouquet of maraschino, iodine, cassis and tobacco scents that seem a few years younger than its Margaux peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin that cloak its sweet core of cassis and blackcurrant fruit. However, what is so striking is the fineness of the tannin and just how well that oak is subsumed into the fabric of the wine. This is a long-term proposition: a great Margaux from Thomas Duroux.
Gorgeous nose, with violet, currant and berry, and a vanilla undertone. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and supersilky tannins. Long and rich. Wonderful wine. Love the balance. Almost 95-100.
Less exuberant in its aromatics than the 2005, a touch of crème de cassis on the first nose, slightly chalky tannins but as it opens in the glass you dive through to the rich blackberry and cassis fruits. This is a satisfyingly balanced and classically Left Bank Palmer - concentrated, savoury fruits, touches of cedar and mint leaf on the finish, grilled liqourice, nuanced and finessed. Harvest September 19 to October 2, 60% new oak.
CS 56%, Merlot 44%. Picked late Sep and early Oct. "I really thought during harvest was that it would be a Cabernet vintage," said Duroux, "but we rediscovered our Merlot when we started to work on the blends in December. We had a few rot problems mainly with Merlot because the rain at the end of August left the skins very fragile. Ten per cent of the crop was rejected at the sorting table. IPT is the same as in 2005 but the wine has a totally different expression, less flamboyant. Ch Margaux’s Merlots are at the bottom of the croupe but ours are on Cabernet terroir so we perhaps can use them more often."
Very, very deep crimson. Very intense and nervy - impressive on the nose - but more obviously big and fruity than the more delicate Ch Margaux. Probably a wise decision to choose another track. Slightly charred and smoky. Round and fresh and very beguiling. Real lift and only the slightest hint of inkiness on the finish. Bravo! Very fine tannins - very suave and polished with good density while still being Margaux. Very sweet . Hints of modern idiom but very gentle. Super silky texture. Sinewy - but polished sinews!
Deep red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, licorice, minerals, flowers and peat, with some chocolatey oak emerging with air. Juicy and silky on the palate, with lovely clarity and inner-mouth perfume to its flavors of black fruits, minerals and iris. Finishes long and firmly structured, with intriguing soil tones and lovely floral lift. Classic medium-bodied claret.
From only 50% of the harvest, administrator Thomas Duroux has produced a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot from yields of 37 hectoliters per hectare. The 2006 reveals a touch of austerity along with an impressive dense purple color, and sweet aromas of flowers, licorice, black currants, oak, and underbrush. This structured, powerful, medium to full-bodied, beautifully made, ageworthy 2006 should be ready to drink in 5-6 years, and keep for 25-30.
Tasted at the château. So, Palmer made a better wine than the invincible Château Margaux in 2006? Looks like it, for no other reason that Palmer is blessed with superior terroir suited towards that grape varietal. Simple as that. A deep purple/garnet hue. A deep, opulent, compelling nose of blackberry, cedar, limestone with a certain "coolness" about it. The palate is full-bodied with filigree tannins and wonderful delineation. It has a tension that I did not find in Château Margaux, whilst there is an added dimension of something from the sea, a slight briny element. Good persistency, beautifully poised finish, this wine sets the benchmark for the appellation in 2006. Tasted April 2007.
Good full red. Subtly perfumed aromas of plum, milk chocolate, cedar, menthol and smoke. Sweet, supple and deep, with a pungent minerality to the flavors of mulberry, currant and chocolate. Very suave and harmonious wine, offering a lovely combination of volume and energy. Duroux ultimately included 47% merlot in the blend, and this must be some of the best merlot of the Medoc in 2006. Finishes very long and perfumed, with terrific vinosity. (At a much lower price point, the estate's second wine, Alter Ego, is also unusually elegant and juicy in 2006.)